The first poem

This was the first poem I remember ever reading, my imagination ran riot thinking of this little ink sprite, I wanted to write because of this poem as it enabled me to see that images can be triggered by words, I think I was about 9 or 10 when I first read this poem and have read it often since and it still has the same power for my imagination

Jack-of-the-Inkpot

By Algernon Blackwood

I dance on your paper,

I hide in your pen,

I make in your ink-stand

My little black den;

And when you’re not looking

I hop on your nose,

And leave on your forehead

The marks of my toes.

When you’re trying to finish

Your ‘i’

With a dot,

I slip down your finger

And make it a blot;

And when you’re so busy

To cross a big ‘T’

I make on the paper

A little Black Sea.

I drink blotting-paper,

Eat penwiper pie,

You never can catch me,

You never need try!

I leap any distance,

I use any ink,

I’m on to your fingers

Before you can wink.