How long does it take to make a book?
How long does it take to grow a tree
to create the wood that can be cut down
to make the pulp to form the paper?
How many years of practising and learning
the art of book-binding to produce
this book I offer to you?
They say it takes
10,000 hours to produce a craftsman
10,000 hours of working it out and
trying it this way or exploring that way
getting it wrong as well as getting it right.
More to learn from the mistakes I make
next time try this
instead of doing it that way, do this.
How many hours of choosing paper and card
of building up stock
so I can look at my shelves and pick
this for the pages
this for the cover?
How many books have I read to learn this art?
How many hours of practising, investigating
of 'what if' and 'maybe'?
How many hours to develop muscle memory
so the hands know what to do without
engaging the brain?
How many hours does it take to make a book?
© 4 May 16
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