Way back when we all did it. To have any hope of the poems we had written on beermats and bus tickets being taken seriously by a publisher , we needed to get them typed , one per page, properly spaced with our names on the bottom.
All of the amendments had to be completed before we hit the typewriter , because , quite frankly , we got one shot at it , and whatever we managed to type before the paper or ribbon ran out , or our nerves frayed beyond repair was the final edit. Set in Stone.
We all heaved a sigh of relief when technology gave us word processors which enabled us to amend work as many times as we , or editors felt necessary to present the best version of our work for publication.
But like life , writing is not perfect. As music lovers missed the crackle and hiss of their favourite records with the advent of CDs , it was inevitable that we would eventually view the imperfections of the old typefaces with nostalgic affection .
So when Typeset , a new Rotherham bookshop and coworking outfit offered the opportunity to see work typed in the old way and displayed in their window , I just had to have a go.
As part of the National Poetry Day activities on 7/10/21 , they offered " Five Quid for Quintain" and would select five per day from submissions to the shop , or online. If selected , they would also receive a five pound voucher to spend in the shop.
I'm pleased to say , the shop liked my effort and displayed it as shown above. For purists , my original submission is shown below , but it was great fun to see it typeset as I might have struggled to do when I first started. Like completing a circle .
FITNESS AND PURPOSE
What price the characters in this play,
Which landing from fallen fingers
Must abstract, assemble and display
Their best interpretations of intent;
Feigning allegiance to the things I say
