I read and studied (The History of Graphic Design. Vol. 1, 1890–1959) to understand the history of graphic design. Lester Beall, the American graphic designer from the 1930s-1960s, inspired me the most for his elegant and straightforward use of color, images, and short copy. 

This project, “EP: Poetry,” is a partnership with a poet friend who would write poetry for me to design. I came up with the name because my friend’s first name begins with the letter “E,” and mine starts with the letter “P,” see, creative genius! 

I knew her once
When she was young
I knew her long before 

The world got at her 

Tore her hems
And ran her to the floor 

When she saw
The wolves come near 
I hear it told she breathed 

And in her lungs
A song ran through
A song of refuge pleas 

The world had got her 

Torn her hems
And ran her hard and long 

Ran her down
Ran her down
But still she sang her song.

May you heal me 

May I be healed 

May I heal 

Reality is not known 

But merely appears 

In and of the perceiver 

And with a smile 

May we rejoice 

It is so.

Come to this ground
Where plants radiate green 

Where the soil is cool
And light dances in trees 

Here you may find
If you settle your mind

That each moment ceases 

And with death go the wise

Lay on this ground
Become still and rest
The earth is your cradle
The earth is your breath 

She whispers lullabies
She sings funeral hymns 

Through sparkling grass 

Through the ending of things.

Nature makes no mistakes
So we must be here for a reason 

In all of our ignorance 
And all of our grace.