Once, simple quill dipped in
ink as rudimentary as the universe,
scraped words across finest linen,
or cheapest pulp paper, rice paper.
A fat little jug of ink held its mouth
open, welcoming intrusions into its maw.
giving poet fuel for the inner fire.
Devout monks bent over tomes that
outlasted all governments and ideals,
scratching truth into epistles.
Shakespeare, Dunn, Dickinson. . .
and Poe, that ****** genius from hell,
marked thus: “Quoth the Raven, nevermore…”
Now poets have keyboards, computers,
word processors, a labyrinth of tools to
shape their thoughts into worthy words.
Alas, progress must come to us all, and yet
when I have those special heart-words to
spill, I prefer the simple quill and well.