I, Pencil

"I, Pencil" is an essay by Leonard Read. It was first published in the December, 1958 issue of The Freeman.

"I, Pencil" is written in the first person from the point of view of an Eberhard Faber pencil. The pencil details the complexity of its own creation, listing its components (cedar, lacquer, graphite, ferrule, factice, pumice, wax, glue) and the numerous people involved, down to the sweeper in the factory and the lighthouse keeper guiding the shipment into port.

Interesting read: I, Pencil