I use a pencil because the pen is so permanent,
preferably a #2 Ticonderoga.
I like the soft lead.
I press so hard sometimes I feel inclined to
apologize for the force of my hand.
I am just writing a number but in this profession
I should know better.
If I make a mistake I can not erase the dent
I’ve made in the paper.
If you have a vision problem, not a worry,
I write as clearly as most signs read.
I am concise to a fault with my numbers.
Letters are my play time
it’s cursive and sometimes it’s print and
On occasion I’ll split the difference.
I do not chew or roll the pencil in my mouth.
I find it a little gross to put a dirty eraser on paper.
I enjoy art time when the mood hits me,
to shade with the side of the utensil.
But my favorite thing about a pencil
is the way that it smells when it’s being sharpened.