LARKSPUR
(for Grey)

He holds the words in his hand.
Letter by letter he forms 
them into coherent language,
           readable sentences,
           paragraphs and
           pages.

He taps the lead images
gently with his mallet
giving them exact space and
            reason.

He stands over them
looking down
with loving eye
measuring, by vision,
             he next line…
imagining the entire page.
His hands smooth the paper.
he knows the texture
           the smell…
he knows because
it is his art
           his expertise
                 his life.

It is there, at the press,
where he creates the words of a lifetime,
the books we cherish
             the relics of literature.
He holds the words in his hands and t
the hope of reason           
              for all the world to read.

Tony Sexton