In 1938, Hungarian journalist László Bíró and his brother Georg patented the first practical ballpoint pen. Bíró was inspired by the quick-drying ink used in newspaper printing and sought to create a pen that would write smoothly without smudging. His design used a ball-and-socket mechanism and a viscous, quick-drying ink, solving the problems of earlier, unsuccessful ballpoint pens.

The Bíró ballpoint pen was a game-changer for writers. It was reliable, inexpensive, and didn't require the maintenance of a fountain pen. This made writing more accessible and convenient than ever before. The ballpoint pen became the go-to tool for poets, from the Beat generation to contemporary writers, allowing them to capture inspiration anywhere, from a café to a road trip, and fundamentally changing the material practice of modern poetry.