A booklet containing John Greenleaf Whittier’s solemn 1858 poem, Telling the Bees, with custom drop caps and a complementary poster.

Each drop cap contains quaint illustrations pertaining to subject matter within the poem. The black and white colour palette communicates the poem’s dour mood, and also reflects the printing press inks widely available at the time of the poem’s publication. The serif typeface, with its rounded line endings, ties in with the publication’s illustrative style, conveying the gentleness of the poem.

This design is intended to provide the viewer with a small piece of stillness and contemplation.