Frisket

When red and blue makes accidental greys,
when paper curls and curls, and crossmarks swirl,
when modern longs for serif yesterdays,
when letterspacing brings no joy, pink pearl
erasers leave no traces in this world.
When pigments oink and birds resent the quill,
composing sticks find linotypes unfurled,
if oatmeal paper tastes like cardboard meal,
if out the window all of Tampa Bay
on burgundy waves, 'cross high watermarks,
is filled with galley proofs headed your way
good humor fends off xacto blade sharks.
Some days are halftone. Some days are line art.
And negatives give positives a start.