POETRY CHALLENGE HOLDS THE TINY AND MIRACULOUS CLOSE IN ITS 12TH YEAR
Post-It Note Poetry (PINP) returns for its 12th year in February 2024. The original 2013 dare between writing partners Adam Byatt and Jodi Cleghorn was to write bad poetry on post-it notes for 28 days. It quickly caught the imagination of poets and non-poets alike becoming the annual February event Post-It Note Poetry.
“Poetry has held me in some pretty difficult times,” said Jodi, a multi-passionate word witch who uses poetry as one of her four professional pillars. “I was introduced to cut-up poetry a few years before chronic mental and physical health dismantled my ability to write fiction. Tiny poems became a lifeline; first as a form of creative survival then as inspiration for a richer, more expansive creative life on the other side.”
The release of Cleghorn’s short story collection, This Once Precious Life, coincides with the February month of poetry.
In 2018, a shared love of cut-up poetry connected Jodi Cleghorn and Christina Hira on Instagram. Two years later, Hira joined the yearly poetry event as co-curator bringing a new energy to the month of poetry. Together they introduced themes, digital publication for participants in March and virtual kick-off/celebrations.
“Poetry was the first true space of emotional freedom for me” said Christina, an artist, poet and messy human who has an insatiable desire for meaning making. “To have my internal experience reflected back at me from the page has been a touchstone that has held me through some really challenging years. Poetry has always needed to be accessible for me, which means cut-up poetry, blackout poetry and small (but potent) forms such as the Haiku have always been my go to.”
This year the Hira-Cleghorn dynamo offers participants the theme “tiny daily miracles”.
“This very much returns Post-It Note Poetry to its roots: small daily poems as a celebration of the mundane and the miraculous.”
The 12th year consolidates the event as an Instagram-exclusive event.
Find the community and on-going updates through via #pinp24.
For more information contact:
Jodi Cleghorn at Instagram @jodicleghorn
Christina Hira at Instagram @wild.dark.magic
ABOUT POST-IT NOTE POETRY
Post-It Note Poetry’s mission is simple:
-
- To encourage people of all skill sets and persuasions to explore and have fun with poetry – whether they are seasoned poets or curious souls attempting poetry for the first time.
- To create within a confined physical space (the size of a post-it note) as a positive exploration of limitation. It is also a way of making poetry composition possible for 28 consecutive days.
- To come together once a year as a community to write, read, share and amplify the joy of poetry.
THE RULES
The rules are simple for those who’d like to play along at home (at work, on the bus or in any of those in between places perfect for scribbling poetic words on small squares of sticky paper).
-
- Write/build/create a poem every day of February*.
- Poems must fit on a post-it note (or be an equivalent sized poem – ie. no more than 8 lines on a larger backing).
- Poems must adhere to the original light-hearted spirit of permission to write badly – in which poems can tackle serious content, but internal editors/critics all get a break over February.
- Post poems to social media with the hashtag #PINP24
- Follow the hashtag , comment and enjoy what others are creating.
*or as many days as feels comfortable and capable for you.
Download The Collections
Download “Forbidden | Delight'” (2020)
Download “Post-It Note Poetry, Volume 1” (2021)
The philosophy behind Post-It Note Poetry is simple:
-
- To encourage people of all skills sets and persuasions to explore and have fun with poetry – whether they are seasoned poets or curious souls attempting poetry for the first time.
-
- To create within a confined physical space (the size of a post-it note) as a positive limitation. It is also a way of making poetry composition possible for 28 consecutive days.
-
- To come together once a year as a community to write, read, share and amplify the joy of poetry.
The Rules
The rules are simple for those who’d like to play along at home (at work, on the bus or in any of those in between places perfect for scribbling poetic words on small squares of sticky paper).
-
- Write/build/create a poem every day of February*
- Poems must fit on a post-it note (or be an equivalent sized poem – ie. no more than 8 lines on a larger backing).
- Poems must adhere to the original light-hearted spirit of permission to write badly – in which poems can tackle serious content, but internal editors/critics all get a break over February.
- Post poems to social media with the hashtag #PINP21
- Follow the hashtag and enjoy what others are creating.
*or as many days as feels comfortable and capable for you.
A Poetic Trajectory
Here is how I began Post-It Note Poetry back in 2013 and how I ended it in 2022.
2013
2022
