Best Post Ever
By Sheri Reda
We’re savvy, right? We post our thoughts on blogs, our invitations on Evite, our ideas on Facebook and Pinterest. We text, tweet, and email until we’re surprised when we look up and see a flesh-and-blood face. But my cousin in Portland tells me another kind of posting has sprung up and flowered like mint along the streetscape there.
Poetry posts are like those real estate signs that hold listing sheets—except that instead of listings, they hold and display poems. Some posts simply display favorite poems. Other hold multiple copies, so readers can take a poem home. Some imitate hiking trail markers and others display elaborate craftsmanship. And some are just simple boxes attached to trees, making them—ahem—poet-trees!
Each of them can transform a simple walk into a journey of discovery, joy, laughter—or some combination of the three.
We don’t have to move to Portland to enjoy the tradition-in-the-making of poetry posts, or any other posts, for that matter. Here are some ways to add real-time, analog posts to special occasions.
Party Talk. Next time you invite guests to a party or special event, ask them to bring along a favorite quote or poem on the topic. As they arrive, show them to a table with tape, string, thumbtacks, or no-stain putty—and invite them to post their poems on party grounds. After the party is over, leave the posts in place. . . or collect them and keep them to read another day.
Words of Wisdom. Graduation invites come in an envelope just right for an extra index card. Ask your invited guests to send advice for the new grad along with their RSVP. You can post the advice cards at the venue, and your graduate can treasure what’s useful—and throw away the rest!
A Shower of Good Wishes. Rice has fallen into disfavor, and while birdseed is great outdoors, it can be slippery on indoor surfaces. Many brides and grooms now supply their guests with confetti. In a new twist, you can create confetti including words of encouragement, so that your guests can literally shower their couple with joy, love, happiness, delight, grace—and perhaps rapture.
Ceremonies are all about making words and intentions come alive. By posting them around your ceremonial space, you can make them part of the party—and a truly social form of media.
About the author: Sheri Reda is a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant with more than 20 years’ experience. She loves creating personalized ceremonies that reflect the values and style of her clients. Sheri lives in Chicago and can be reached at flowceremonies.com.
