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September 15, 2005
Ode to Paper
Paper, such an everyday thing that people don’t think about, but such an important tool to everyday life. Paper gives you a place to write down your innermost thoughts or just scribble down some notes. It is a palette for new ideas and a source of creativity. It is the beginning of a novel, a receipt, a prescription, a label, confetti as well as so many other things.
There exist so many varieties of paper: lined, white, colored and so much more. It is translucent, but yet still pure. Paper is so thin, that it can’t even be measured by normal means. It can come in a variety of shapes and sizes but the most commonly it is rectangular. Paper can easily be folded into various other objects as well, including the most beautiful swan through the art of origami.
Paper can feel so soft and smooth, but yet, when handled wrong, it can cut you and can really sting. It takes a lot of strength to pull apart a piece of paper, but at the same time it is so delicate and so easy to rip. Paper tastes bland as I have accidentally tasted it while eating candy buttons, as I’m sure many of us have experienced at least once in our lives. Also, at first, one might not notice the scent of paper, but it can smell like new ink or when it’s burning, it has a distinctive smell that reminds me of a campfire. I also love the feel of paper coming fresh out of the copier; it’s warm, but not too hot, almost like freshly baked cookies. Additionally, when paper is moved, it sounds like the rustling of leaves in the wind or like a thin sheet of metal flapping along in a workshop. It truly is a unique object that has been around for a very long time and serves an array of purposes.
-Jessica F
Posted by lcisfaria at September 15, 2005 10:45 PM
Comments
Jessica,
I really enjoyed your ode. I thought it was a simple yet ingenious choice and you really delved into all the simplicity and complexity of paper. I love how you suggest all the great things that can come from a simple piece of paper. I think you use language beautifully to convey ideas.
Nanette Savides
Posted by: Nanette Savides at September 16, 2005 10:56 AM