The Typewriter

Why Did You Do It! Contest entry. An explanation of my handle at WDC

The Typewriter

by Barlock


In the late 1800's it was readily known
Typewriters were lacking and quite often prone
To stamping out letters that laid slightly askew
An inventor named Spiro knew what he must do

Born was a machine whose letters struck proper
Locked in position in a half-circle stopper
The typeface on bars stayed locked in position
Until a key strike would change the condition

The typeface unlocked and the bar would engage
Then strike true and hard putting letter to page
The bar would then lock again just like before
And sit in position waiting for more

The Royal Typewriter bosses took stock
The system was bought and was called the bar-lock
Flash forward to the year of two thousand and ten
When Writing dot Com asked a name for my pen

I had to pick something and found myself torn
I thought of the typewriter and Barlock was born