This forum post is in response to recent questions from members regarding proper punctuation in poetry; I trust that it will be helpful. If anyone has anything to add that I may have neglected to mention here, feel free to do so.
“Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”
The first rule of poetry is, if you’re not following a specific form of poetry, then there are no unbreakable rules.
As writers, we are taught to respect the rules of grammar, for they are the foundations that lend structure and clarity to our writing, helping us to more effectively communicate with our readers. We all strive for perfection in our writing, aptly placing periods and commas in their designated spaces, paying homage to proper grammar, capitalizing in all the right places, but how does that leave room for an artist’s true expression? We are artists first; being scholars, while important, is secondary.
When writing poetry, punctuation becomes but one of your tools of expression, so use it any way you desire, depending on what you are trying to achieve with your poem, naturally. Poetry, unlike prose, should be an outpouring of emotion that comes directly from the soul, so you decide how you want it to ebb and flow. Think of your poem as a river flowing freely. Now think of punctuation as the rocks that sometimes slow the flow of water or the bends and curves that help shape the river. That is what punctuation does in poetry; it shapes the tone and flow of the overall poem, as well as creating some sort of pace and if used correctly, it can add aesthetic elements to your work.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding this, while some poets feel that punctuation is important, others argue that it sometimes disrupts the flow of thought in poetry. Personally, I think that there are no hard and fast rules, it depends on the individual piece and what the poet is trying to convey with it.
Poetry is a form of art and as such, poets should enjoy the same freedom any other artist does. It is about creativity and expressing emotion, your creativity and expression, so feel free to paint outside of the lines whenever you need to. If it works, it works. If it bombs, then you would have learnt something.
That said; please do not misinterpret what I am trying to say here. You cannot write a poem with blatant disregard of the rules because you are lazy, you don’t have a good grasp on proper grammar or even just for the sake of being rebellious – those would be all the wrong reasons. You need to understand the proper use of grammar before you can enjoy the freedom to bend, break or even throw out the rules – in other words, only defy convention with purpose.
Always remember that poetry should be ‘heard’, so your ‘voice’ has to be true and strong. Do not break any rules that will distract your reader, only do it if it will enhance the flow or lend authenticity to your images. Feel free to play around with grammar and punctuation, but do not do it carelessly. If you are going to step outside of the box because you are unsure of or ignorant of the proper rules, rather than for creative freedom, then your lack of knowledge will show in your work. I take my proverbial hat off to any poet who can effectively break the rules for the sake of art and creativity every bit as much as I admire and respect poets who manage to craft a perfect poem within the confines of verse and meter.
Many poets have tried to be literary anarchists and failed miserably. Then there are those who have successfully skirted the rules with success. The best example of a literary anarchist would be ee cummings – his work has inspired me to experiment with my own writing, so needless to say, I went through a phase where I wrote some pretty darn awful poems, but thankfully I’ve learnt from those mistakes. When reading his poetry, it could mislead one into thinking that he avoids punctuation because he has no understanding of proper grammar, but I would strongly disagree.
Let’s look at his poem, “anyone lived in a little how town”. Not only does he ignore all punctuation, he also alters the conventional structure of a sentence and uses capitals in what at first glance seems a random manner, but in reality, are not misplaced at all. If someone were to edit this poem and add proper grammar, syntax and punctuation, it would disturb both the flow and the true meaning of what he is trying to convey – that would be nothing short of tragic. Bottom line when it comes to his poems – they work.
anyone lived in a pretty how town
by e.e. cummings
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did
Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain
children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more
when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her
someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream
stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)
one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was
all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.
Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain
“Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”
In the end, there is no right or wrong, but depending on what you are trying to express, there are good and bad ways of punctuating a poem.
Here are some pointers on how punctuation could be used in poetry, for those of you who are interested in the mechanics of poetry writing.
Period (.) – In poetry, a period is known as an end-stop and generally occurs at the end of a line. When there is an end-stop, it calls for a complete stop while reciting the poem (which means take a breath and exhale properly before continuing), before continuing to the next line. An end-stop does not always have to be at the end of a line, it can also occur in the middle, in which case it is called a caesura (an extended pause).
Semi-colon (;) – Once again, the dreaded semi-colon, the one piece of punctuation that everyone avoids. Generally, a semi-colon creates an extended pause, but not a complete stop in a poem. Here you would pause, take a short breath and hasten on, since the semi-colon links two shared ideas, so the one is directly tied to the next line. Caesuras can also be created with a semi-colon.
Comma (,) – When you encounter a comma, a slight pause is sufficient. It is the weakest form of punctuation, so not even worthy a short breath (I can see you turning blue in the face soon if you keep following these instructions).
Exclamation Mark (!) - Not used in poetry very often, but when it is used it is to place emphasis on something. A good poet would be able to place emphasis without the laziness of using an exclamation mark. Don’t worry, I’m guilty of using them as well.
Question Mark (?) - Indeed? Why would you need it in poetry? Use it if you like dressing up your poems. Most questions are rhetorical in poetry, so question marks are rather superfluous, used out of habit or just as a decoration.
Dash (-) – Use it when you want emphasis on the pause, it’s stronger than a comma, but weaker than a period.
While some modern poetry have no punctuation at all, most poetry are punctuated the same as a running sentence. If you choose to use sentence punctuation, using sentence case, (capitalizing starts of sentences rather than the start of every line) will make things easier on readers.
That concludes how to use punctuation in poetry. I will be back to explain a few more things regarding poetry once I find a quiet moment. I would love some feedback on what I've already posted here. If you disagree with anything I've said, feel free to say so, I'm always eager to learn something new.
“Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”
Yas, thank you, very informative.
"No one knows when the final grain of sand will plummet through their own personal Hourglass." ~ CKAcres
"If you really want to make a difference, don't over think it, just do it..."
"Scars of life are deeply etched within the minds of curious old souls."
An artists rendering, whether it be in oils or words, is how they view or see something.
The medium used, not that important, the image projected being the key. Allowing the viewer freedom to create in their own mind.
Does it matter if the color is placed with a brush, knife, pencil or pen? Filling the space with punctuation/detail, or left open/abstract?
Showing the world ones creativity freely, intimidates some, others, view it for what it is, inventiveness.
This hopefully, inspires them to use their own imagination and creativity too, thereby enjoying what they create, leading them to a life of contentment and objectivity.
Personally I write to please myself. My therapy, if the truth be known. I do enjoy hearing what others get from my work.
The comments are not required to sate my ego, but are enjoyed when given, allowing me to view how others portray what they view in their own minds.
I hope others will chime in with thoughts too, again thank you for starting this thread.
"No one knows when the final grain of sand will plummet through their own personal Hourglass." ~ CKAcres
"If you really want to make a difference, don't over think it, just do it..."
"Scars of life are deeply etched within the minds of curious old souls."
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment, Dave. You're right, most poets write for themselves, but every person reading their work will interpret it in their own way. It's what art is about.
“Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”
I agree that poetry is generally less structured than prose, and in that respect allows for far more freedom with regards to punctuation and the like...
That said, I do believe that poets should not rule out punctuation altogether...most poems do not work well without it, and putting in commas and periods to indicate pauses and stops gives the reader an idea as to how the poet himself intended the work to be read...
I've rarely used anything other than commas and periods myself...I did use an elipse (...) in my poem "Neon Sign" to indicate a long pause...one of these days I'll have to do an audio of it to show how I intended it to be read...I think it would be completely lost without any punctuation...
I once knew a drinker who had a moderating problem...
Spot on, on all accounts. I might add only that, in blank verse, line (and stanza) breaks often function as a sort of punctuation, both in oral recitation, and in providing the rest that pauses allow, between one unit of thought and the next; when discrete stanzas are present, they might group a unified set of statements. Breaks can also emphasise where words or phrases lend themselves to multiple interpretations, with the next line perhaps modifying the sense of what the previous one said, if that line had left off where it appeared, at first, to end. So a poem may read differently on the page than it would aloud, when the rhythms of natural language are more likely to lead the way.
Thanks so much for putting this up, and with such care.
Perhaps I am a rebel. A rather conventional rebel however. I use any type of punctuation available in my poems that will achieve my goal. I want them to be read aloud, and I want them to be read my way. So, in some ways, I break Sherzahd's rules, but I do it on purpose. I dislike poetry that has punctuation in it merely because the poet is so naive or inexperienced that he/she thinks one needs punctuation for "proper" English, and then misuses the punctuation to the point that the poem makes no sense. On the other hand, I can usually tell that a poet is also inexperienced when he/she uses no punctuation at all, probably because the person lacks the experience or knowledge to select the right punctuation, or, in fact, thinks that leaving off the punctuation "makes" the piece a poem. But this is fun! Carry on scribblers!
This came as a pleasant blow to the gut ; very informative : i happen to be quite excited about putting 'em into practice ...
I was wondering if someone could post a short poem - for experimental use ; perhaps we could see how the same poem 'reads' using different styles of 'poetry' And 'punctuation because, I just dont understand what 'modern poetry' or 'blank verse' really is .
I'm also very interested to see how punctuation can change the meaning or 'image' of what the 'poet' intended whilst writing it....
I don't know; maybe this is not the right topic for that kind of discussion but, it's out there now.
I'm sometimes amazed at how much I think I know....
When You Don't Feel Like Smiling, Smile Anyway
