by Dani Putney
July 8, 1989
Dear Jasmin,
Greetings from the Golden
State of California your photo
and brief description compelled me
to write
I am Samuel Young, 36
years old, 5 ft. 10 inches, 145
pounds a dentist, I have a small
practice during days off I tend
my variety of fruit apple, peach,
cherry, plum I enjoy canning
and making pies my peaches
are ripening
Jasmin, I am serious
about finding a Filipina wife,
heaven knows I could use help
around the house I am interested
to hear about your nursing course
and what you admire about me
In my next letter, I promise
to answer your questions thanks
for your time young lady I hope
to have you soon
Respectfully,
Sam
PS: Send a photo of your [fruit],
it would be so kind
October 20, 1989
Dear Carmelita,
What a pleasure it is
to write such a lovely young
lady her robe a cloud, her face
a flower
My name is Clarence
Cooper, I live in a townhouse
on the outskirts of Huntsville,
Alabama I taught high school
for 26 years, 7 as vice principal 66
years old, I live on a very adequate
retirement pension
I am in excellent physical
shape I work out 3 times a week,
never smoke, seldom drink,
the real matter of importance is
not a person’s age but the love
within his heart
My wife of 35 years died
suddenly, I wish to make a fresh
start a simple, lighthearted lady
who enjoys adventure I have
a motor home to travel around
this grand [empire]
I believe in faithfulness,
gentle lady I look forward
to having your pleasure soon
Sincerely,
Clarence
October 22, 1989
Dear Annabelle,
You may be surprised
to receive this unsolicited letter
from America I saw a photo
and a brief description you seem
like my type of lady
I will be honest, I am very
interested in finding a Filipina
lifetime partner my name is Bob
Johnson, friends call me Skip 42,
divorced, no children I work
as a forklift operator for a major oil
company in Anchorage respectable,
and I earn a good living
On Friday and Saturday
evenings, I drum with a small
rock band I also enjoy hunting
and fishing
You may have heard Alaska
is a cold, deserted place I could
hardly ask for more beauty
or [property] I surely have no
trouble staying warm in my three-
bedroom home
A letter from you would be
magnificent please tell me about
your life goals, and describe what you
do in a typical day I would be
very happy to take time with a recent
photo of yourself
Sincerely,
Skip
[Undated]
Dear Leticia,
Thanks for the letter
and photo you seem nice --
unfortunately, it is clear
our interests differ I want
a young lady
Best wishes,
James Olgivy
PS: I decided to return your
[face], give it to another man
[1] Unless bracketed, the words in this poem are taken from sample letters included in Michael and Chantal Donahue’s Asian Romance Guide to Marriage by Correspondence (1989). Some phrasing has been reformulated.
photo by Jansel Ferma
Dani Putney is a queer, non-binary, mixed-race Filipinx, and neurodivergent poet originally from Sacramento, California. Their debut full-length poetry collection, Salamat sa Intersectionality, is out from Okay Donkey Press. You can find Dani's poetry in outlets such as #EnbyLife, Cosmonauts Avenue, Empty Mirror, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, and Thin Air Magazine, among others. Presently a PhD student at Oklahoma State University, they permanently reside among cowboys in the Nevada desert.
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