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Learning To Write
Have you ever typed something on a keyboard only to discover that what appeared on the screen was not what you intended? In his funny poem, Learning To Write, Berton Braley shares the frustrations of a typewriter that seems determined to type the wrong letters. The result is a clever poem filled with unexpected words and a little riddle for readers to solve.
Beyond the humour, this poem can also remind us of life. Sometimes our choices lead to results we never expected, and sometimes people say one thing but do another. Just as the typewriter produces something different from what was intended, our actions do not always match our words. May this poem bring a smile to your face while reminding you of the importance of making your words and actions agree.
Enjoy the poem, and see if you can figure out the poet's final message!
Updated October 24, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
Learning To Write
Poet: Berton Braley
(Can You Translate?)
My ink eraser's worn quite through
From rubbing out mistakes
Which, spite of all that I can do,
My fool typewriter makes.
For when I try to make an "a"
(One has to write a few)
In some quite dark and devious way
I spell it with a "q."
Qnd thqt, qs you cqn plqinly see,
Is likely to embqrrqss me.
Now, "e" 's a letter used so oft
It surely seems that I
Should find it really very soft
To handle cleverly.
And yet, when writing in a sweat,
I find - a dreadful bore -
That where I wanted "e" I get
Instead of "e" a "4."
Th4 which, as anyon4 may not4,
Do4s not improv4 what I "hav4 wrot4."
Then "t" and "y" or "y" and "u,
Which seem beneath a spell,
Transpose and get themselves askew
The same as "p" and "1."
The"," and the"?"
Get changed about in place,
Until you'd think that in the dark
I'd tried my words to trace.
Yhis syrange pecupiaritt
Is not? you know? a thing of glee.
Then oftentimes a "b" I find
When what I want is "n,"
Or with quotation marks in mind
I get a "2" — and then
To that I add this little /
When I but sought a .
And other errors, too, are mine,
I count them by the myriad.
And when my little sobg is sung,
I'm often forced to mutter, 2STUBG2/
Key Reflections In This Poem
- Find Humour In Mistakes We all make mistakes, and sometimes the best response is to laugh at ourselves. A little humour can turn a frustrating moment into something we remember with a smile.
- Things Do Not Always Go As Planned Just like the poet's troublesome typewriter, life does not always give us the results we expect. Patience and a willingness to try again can help us work through unexpected challenges.
- Let Your Actions Match Your Words What we say is important, but what we do often speaks even louder. When our actions reflect our words, we build trust and show others that we mean what we say.
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Conclusion
Berton Braley's poem, Learning To Write, reminds us that even the simplest tasks can become frustrating when things do not work as expected. His troublesome typewriter gives us a reason to laugh, but it also reminds us that life does not always turn out the way we plan.
When mistakes happen, a little patience and a sense of humour can make all the difference. And just as we expect a typewriter to produce the letters we press, we should strive to make sure our actions reflect the words we speak. May this funny poem encourage you to smile at life's unexpected moments and remember that sometimes laughter is the best way to handle a frustrating day.
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