This is the short form of a poem I wrote for someone who told me just that they wanted a poem about typography, and needed to end by asking the reader to make a judgment about the quality of the typography they were seeing..

The Forgotten Art of Typography
by Jonathan Kraft

An artist’s work
Like pieces of a puzzle
Must fit just right
Or give it a nuzzle

Non belongings,
In the puzzle box?
If they don’t fit in
Toss like old socks

Invisible art
One like the next
Typography’s everywhere
Even in *this* text

Hidden from you
The artist’s success
Typography gives shine
Like text’s formal dress

In a busy day
Competing for attention
Fancy dress text
Oft gets no mention

It’s there though.
When you next see an ad
Think to yourself…
This typography – good or bad?

In case you’re wondering what typography is… From Wikipedia: Typography (from the Greek words τύπος (typos) = form and γραφή (graphe) = writing) is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading (line spacing), adjusting the spaces between groups of letters (tracking) and adjusting the space between pairs of letters (kerning). Type design is a closely related craft, which some consider distinct and others a part of typography; most typographers do not design typefaces, and some type designers do not consider themselves typographers. In modern times, typography has been put into motion—in film, television and online broadcasts—to add emotion to mass communication.

Typography is performed by typesetters, compositors, typographers, graphic designers, art directors, comic book artists, graffiti artists, clerical workers, and anyone else who arranges type for a product. Until the Digital Age, typography was a specialized occupation. Digitization opened up typography to new generations of visual designers and lay users, and it has been said that “typography is now something everybody does.”