Hello Poets,
I had a surprising artist's date last weekend. It was fabulous!
A tiny bit of backstory. In August, on vacation, I bought a 1960s era electric typewriter. I brought it home, watched Youtube videos on how to give an old machine a refresh, applied elbow grease, plugged it in and am now enjoying the typing all kinds of things for fun and for the paper crafting that I do.
My heart's desire --what I really want is an manual typewriter.
On Sunday, I peeked at facebook marketplace and saw that someone was selling a Royal Quiet De Luxe for $40. How could I possibly resist that?
Sunday was one of those glorious autumn days of bright sunshine, crisp air and a hint of blush in the maple trees along the parkway. I got in my minivan, cranked up the music and drove out into the country to the home of the seller who met me at her mailbox with a darling 1940s era manual typewriter.
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| triolet |
I'm going to try not to become a typewriter collector. I have fond memories of being able to bang away on an old manual typewriter of my parents when I was a kid and I still love them.
Now I have a new memory of meeting a vintage friend that I can't wait to clean and oil and get into tip-top typing shape. Hopefully, I'll even type out some poetry!
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| Pythagorean Poem |
Don't miss this week's poetry round-up at Jama's Alphabet Soup. She's had some great book recs lately. I so enjoy reading her posts.
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| photo by retrospekt.com |
I love this!!!! When I taught Hollinsummer (writing camp for teens), we had a typewriter station set up. The students were FASCINATED by this contraption. :) They typed poems all week long.
ReplyDeleteThese poems are Just. My. Type!
ReplyDeleteI’m infatuated with American Typewriter don’t on my laptop & all things manual TW. Especially portables. Luv to know your clackety-clack, journey back.
( font— not don’t)
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda, I love your story & the reminder of "The quick brown fox" in your very clever poem. I actually sold a grandmother's old, very large, typewriter long ago, but I still have my college Olivetti, just like the one that tells the story in the recent book by that name. My granddaughters love typing away on it! You can read my review & see what I typed here: https://www.teacherdance.org/2024/09/monday-reading-old-and-new.html (It's the 1st review)
ReplyDeleteHi, Linda--sorry not to comment last week; thanks for *your* comment on my truly challenging Pythagorean Poem! I spent this week introducing E.E. Cummings to my WHISPERshout kids and I so wish I had a typewriter to bring in to show them how tricky it would have been for him to get the format right! Thanks for sharing all your playful drafts and the story of you and your Royal!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I remember my typewriter days. I even have the paperwork to prove that I had a story inside me to click clack out. Enjoy your typewriters. Moving up to an electric typewriter was one of my wishes when I was in college. I enjoyed your all your draft poems, The first one is a charmer. The ding part is what I always remember.
ReplyDeleteSo exciting!! I share your vintage typewriter love but admire from afar (too dangerous to start collecting). I do have a manual typewriter I bought in England years ago (made in Germany). And I fondly remember my Smith-Corona electric that I typed all my college essays on. Love your poems this week!
ReplyDeleteLinda, your triolet is gorgeous. I feel like I’m participating in a 1960’s rendezvous when I read it. I can just imagine that old typewriter waiting for you to start clacking its keys. I hadn’t heard of a Pythagorean Poem. Yours is so clever!
ReplyDeleteMy son has an old Underwood, and he is also fascinated with computer keyboards – but they have to make that clickety sound (old IBM’s are a hot ticket). Thank you for this fun, immersive post!
OMG - Linda - have you read OLIVETTI? It's a MG novel about a talking typewriter! You have to read it!
ReplyDeleteListening to it right now!
DeleteOh, Linda, I share your typewriter love and I love your typewriter poems. :) I have my parents' 1940s Royal manual typewriter and it makes me happy just to look at it. We also still have an old electric typewriter that I gave Atticus in the 80s when he was in grad school. There's nothing better than that clickety-clack!
ReplyDeleteI love this artist date! I wish I had room for a vintage typewriter. The typewriter poems are so fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat a winner of an artist's date! I love the starting line "All blind dates should begin this way" and all your other poems, including *gasp* another Pythagorean! Clearly you and your typewriter are a match made in heaven. I can't wait to see what else you do together!
ReplyDeleteOooooh. Your joy is palpable, Linda. And your first poem is my absolute favourite. So much zest and delight - and it pounds out like fingers on the keys. So much fun to read. Enjoy!!
ReplyDelete