Poetry Friday - Poetry Swap Joy

It's been a while since I participated in a poetry swap, so I was determined to get involved this year. Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference has been generously coordinating summer and holiday swaps for years. It's a lovely way to "meet" someone new that you may only know through blogging. This year I was paired with Carmela Martino, author, poet, teacher, and blogger at Teaching Authors.

I got home late in the evening and found her package waiting for me. Because I have been mired in grading, I decided to wait to open it until my grades were submitted this morning. So, at 9:01 am, after closing the semester, I sat down with a pot of tea (cacao chai from In Pursuit of Tea) and my gift. 

One of the things I love about these swaps is that the participants write poems for one another. Imagine receiving a poem written just for you! There's something magical about it. When I learned Carmela had been a math major in college, I knew I wanted to write a Pi poem for her. For her part, Carmela took one of the recent Poetry Sisters' challenges to write a dansa and crafted this poem. (Click to enlarge.)

Isn't it lovely? 

Carmela also generously sent along the BEST calendar ever!

I adore both Frost and Dickinson, so this is a real treat. Perhaps just as wonderful is that Carmela has  introduced me to an Etsy shop that produces delightful creations. Just look at the card Carmela's note came in!

There was also a calendar card in the package.

That right there is one of my favorite poems. I have it memorized. It hangs on my wall. This is perfection. 

These items all came from Farmhouse Greetings. The shop is on a break right now, but I know I'll be stopping by frequently to see what they're sharing.

Thank you, Tabatha for organizing the holiday swap, and an even bigger thank you to Carmela for making this experience so special. 

I hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Karen Edmisten. Happy poetry Friday friends!