They stand at the ready

Capable of dispensing such grace

Consensually spilling

So many secrets

Clear and to the point

A fount of notion, knowledge,

And communication

Retention

So hard-headed

Yet so transparent

Always leaving

A lasting impression

At once hard to hold

And easy to embrace

Often exhausting

Their partners

Before exhausting

Themselves

Not as luxuriantly elegant

In appearance

As their great-grandfathers

But far more self-reliant

Feather-light

While, bold and persistent

In legacy

Instilling a sense of accomplishment

Though they are mostly forgotten

In this digital age

I still see the beauty

In my ball-point pens