“I am a little pencil, and my name is H and B,
I lie upon the mantelpiece for everyone to see;
I’m handled forty times a day, it is a weary life,
And when my wits are rather dull, I’m sharpened
with a knife!”
Florence May Hoatson was a poet in the 1900s. Above is the first section of her poem “The Pencil’s Story”, which beautifully describes the little life of a hardworking pencil and it’s journey from the shelf to the hands of the writer/illustrator. Houston’s verse is a figure of speech about life and it’s meaning.
Seemingly, pencils are quite the subject matter for these life questions! Paul Coelho, the Brazillian lyricist, has also written a short and sweet piece about a pencil, as an allegory of how a good life can be lead (pun intended! lol). Coelho goes through the “qualities” of a pencil. The metaphor is about people being capable of great things (allow hands to guide you), stopping to take rest when times are hard (sharpening), knowing that mistakes are a part of life (things can be erased and rewritten!), and taking care of your inner self (the graphite is the most important element of the tool).
So, if pencils are an analogy for life, then Blackwing pencils are about a delicate life of beauty, luxury, sustainability and simplicity. The company’s offerings are sophisticated and vast: elevated products with a notable difference, coming in extra fine, firm, balanced and soft tones. The graphite is crafted with clay for strength and wax for smoothness and is incased in incense-cedar wood from California, which is easy to sharpen.
For those in the know, or who want to know more, Pulp has a variety of Blackwing to shop: the 602, a ‘core’ pencil; the graphite series: Matte, Pearl and Natural; plus the Special Edition.
Of course, Pulp also offers the Blackwing sharpener, replacement erasers, and reporter pads, for a delightful pencil and paper experience.