Elegy for the Personal Letter
Elegy for the Personal Letter
by Allison Joseph
I miss the rumpled corners of correspondence,
the ink blots and crossouts that show
someone lives on the other end, a person
whose hands make errors, leave traces.
I miss fine stationary, its raised elegant
lettering prominent on creamy shades of ivory
or pearl grey. I even miss hasty notes
on notebook paper, edges
ragged as their scribbled messages—
can’t much write now—thinking of you.
When letters come now, they are formatted
by some distant computer, addressed
to Occupant or To the family living at—
meager greetings at best,
salutations made by committee.
Among the glossy catalogs
and one time only offers
the bills and invoices,
letters arrive so rarely now that I drop
all other mail to the floor when
an envelope arrives and the handwriting
is actual handwriting, the return address
somewhere I can locate on any map.
So seldom is it that letters come
That I stop everything else
to identify the scrawl that has come this far—
the twist and the whirl of the letters,
the loops of the numerals. I open’
those envelopes first, forgetting
the claim of any other mail,
hoping for news I could not read
in any other way but this.
Taken from the Writer’s Almanac
.
About Teresa Lasher
Teresa K. Lasher,
Freelance Writer and Speaker
266 Timber Creek Circle NW
Comstock Park, Michigan 49321
Phone: 616.785-9878
Email: terri@lasherstudios.com
www.lasherstudios.com
Teresa is a freelance writer living in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her husband. They have two grown children, and two precious grandchildren. She enjoys writing creative non-fiction works about her travels, memoirs, poetry, and devotionals. She loves to read, write, bike, sail, motorcycle, and adores walking in nature’s beauty.
Teresa has spoken to women’s Bible study groups regarding the trauma and blessings of brain surgery, and also communicated her love of “Journaling” to groups such as MOPS (Mothers of Pre Schoolers) and Salvation Army corps officers. She has spoken on query writing and how to prepare articles for publication among writer’s groups.
Her published works have appeared in Rider, Sailing, Women’s Lifestyle, Thunder Roads of Michigan, West Michigan Christian Newspaper, and War Cry and various newsletters. She co-authored articles featured on The Salvation Army’s website and news releases, and is a contributing writer in Gold Wing Road Riders Association newsletters and Seasons, a women’s magazine.
PUBLISHED WORKS
1. “And Away We Go!” Let is Slip newsletter, May 2008
2. “Sweet Memories,” Thunder Roads of Michigan magazine/March, 2008
3. “U.P. From the Back Seat—Passenger perspectives on a Michigan and Canada adventure, Rider magazine/February, 2008
4. “Thirsty Soul,” The War Cry/February 16, 2008
5. “Treasures Forever,” Women’s Life Style magazine/July, 2007
6. “Two for the Road--A couple makes the leap into racing with a doublehanded race across Lake Michigan,” Sailing/February, 2007
7. “West MI Christian Newspaper Celebrates Eighth Year,” The West Michigan Christian/October, 2006
8. “Uninvited Guests—Providence Bay Campground, Canada,” Gold Wing Road Riders Association newsletter/October, 2006
9. “Make Working From Home Work for You,” Women’s Life Style magazine/September, 2006
10. “It’s Never Too Late for Mothers & Daughters to Connect,” Women’s Life Style magazine/May, 2006
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