This is a pencil
Made of wood and graphite
It feels nice to roll it between your fingers
A pencil is strong
But very light
And maneuverable
If you have a pencil
And you have some paper
Then you are unstoppable
You can invent anything
A building, a tool, a creature,
A better world
You can make puzzles
Or play games
Alone or with a friend
You can figure things out
Like 3 multiplied by 17
Or how to get to the moon and back
With a pencil, you can record your thoughts
Or help others to record theirs
Or record history
You can tell someone you love them
Or you miss them
Or you’re sorry
You don’t need a lot of pencils
One pencil will draw a line 35 miles long
One pencil is usually enough
Pencils are portable
They fit in your pocket
Or behind your ear
You can draw a map to your house
A map to your heart
Or buried treasure
Pencils do not need batteries
They work in good times
They work in dark times
Pencils keep score
And lists
And secrets in diaries
You can capture the face
Of a friend from school
Or someone gone too soon
Maybe you’ll write an idea
That changes someone’s mind
Or vote and change the world
If you need to pop a balloon
Or tie your kite string around something
A pencil is good for that
This is a pencil
It is self-contained. It did not need to ingest all the English-speaking internet in order to work.
Love this! If I were still teaching, this would be on the wall for all to read!!