POCKET POEMS
Poetry is a gift and sometimes has more impact than one can imagine. Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye is one of my favorite poems that came to me as a gift from a friend in a year when my younger sister and my father died. In honor of that great poem, I’m acknowledging community kindness by leaving pocket poems in places around Port Townsend. These poems are brief, sometimes spontaneous, sometimes silly, and are part of a “Haiku for You” series that I started during the pandemic. You are welcome to play along by finding some origami paper, copying the folding pattern and writing your own haiku inside. The form of the folds is an adaptation of an origami folding technique that I learned in my fifth grade English language class from a pen pal in Japan. Snap a photo of your “Haiku for You” poem and tag @mysaucylife on Instagram.
Note: The first pocket poem of my poet laureate term has been dropped off at June Bug, a hair salon downtown by the water. A kindness connection prompted the drop-off. Look for a miniature origami envelope with short, fun haikus from the poet laureate and have a nice conversation together or make a haiku and send it to me at poetlaureate@cityofpt.us. Stay posted @mysaucylife to see the poet laureate journey in PT.