When composing his letter, Brentano varied the amount of writing on each page. Whereas the first and second pages have closely written lines that run right up to the edges, the third contains only a short postscript. Three-quarters of that page is left blank, making the effect all the more striking. The deliberate contrast draws attention to the writing process itself and reflects early Romantic calls for a “poetry of poetry”. The fourth page bears the recipient’s name and the seal with which Brentano fastened the folded lettersheet. Resembling a drop of blood, the bright red wax takes up the letter’s central theme.