Thank you — workLIT

Uniballs

Heather M. Coughlin

My favorite pen is a Uniball.

To be more specific

the “Vision/Elite” model

etched in small white letters

against the dark ink cavity.

Her plastic grayscale exoskeleton is clean,

aerodynamic, smooth in between my fingers.

Three small dimples on her metal clip are

where I rest my thumb stroking it

like a Buddha’s belly.

Her ink is smooth and dependable,

releasing only when I press enough to ask.

No globules or staccato dashes and dots

as I form letters on the page writing

this poem and grocery lists.

Shiny silver tools arrive in 5-packs

but then travel alone

in a purse, car, briefcase, backpack.

I imagine strapping one each to my fingers,

Edward Scissorhands, the poet.

workLIT memo: When I set out to create a branded thank you gift for workLIT supporters, a pen was the logical choice. The one you’ve received is my favorite. I penned this poem in early 2024 after briefly cheating on this model with something a bit fancier, only to be disappointed.

Enjoy putting pen to paper and thank you again for being an early believer in workLIT.