Postcard Poetry

Postcard poetry is a fantastic concept—and I never would have thought of it myself. The poem from the handout named simply “POSTCARD,” is a great example of a postcard few people would ever have the guts to send. First of all, to just name it “POSTCARD,” makes me think that maybe the sender made a promise to send the recipient a postcard before having a disagreement with them, and naming it “POSTCARD” is the sender’s way of saying, “look, I sent you one. Happy now?” Also, to say that the sender is still “unsure of your worth as…a human being” is a brutal, biting statement. Vicious, even. And to say the same thing regarding their worth as a friend is pretty awful, too. Also, ending the poem with “You cocksucker,” is a bold, blatant insult that brings the sender’s point home. The whole thing, including the name of the poem, is written in all caps, which frequently is used as a way of yelling at someone via text. It also can just be any easy way to emphasize the importance of the statements being made (as if more emphasis is even necessary).
In addition to “POSTCARD,” I also enjoyed “Montezuma’s Revenge.” It has an amusing irony to it; there are also some nightmarish qualities to it as well. I’m not even sure I understand the poem. What does “natives” refer to in the first line? I think it sounds like savages or indigenous people because it also says “in my hometown,” which would make the speaker a native as well. I think the title is the best clue as to the meaning of the poem. We conquered them, now Montezuma is getting his revenge by invading “our Utopia” and cutting off our faces. It’s a very bizarre poem, and it almost sounds to me like a tourist’s worst nightmare, if you look at the idea of trying to make friends with the natives by letting them cut off your face.

Sarah Corra