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Carole Duet

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Why No Punctuation???

Blog Posted by Carole Duet: 7/2/2017 1:39:00 AM

Okay, why do so many poets here not use punctuation? Or, maybe I should say, "Why do so many RARELY use punctuation?" I have always thought (and still do) that punctuation makes poetry so much easier to read. After all, that is the purpose of punctuation. A pause equals a comma. The end of a thought equals a period. Now why not use them? Don't we want people to be able to read our poems with ease? Is there some rule somewhere that I don't know about that says we don't need punctuation in poetry? Or, do many poets just not know where, when and how to use puntuation? Tell me. I HAVE to know. I'm beginning to go into an OCD tailspin and can't hold it in any longer! HELP!!

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Darren
White

Date: 7/3/2017 10:42:00 AM

I use punctuation as well as spacing in a very specific and selective way. You will not find too much of it in my poems, only on places where I absolutely don't want people to read something the wrong way. Excessive, constant use of punctuation sometimes even causes me to stop reading.

Chris
Green

Date: 7/3/2017 9:21:00 AM

My excuse is that I am lazy and at times not too sure when and where certain things should go, so for fear of putting something in the wrong place most times I just don't. Though I do use a lot of commas. :)

Jan
Allison

Date: 7/3/2017 7:31:00 AM

Your blog inspired me to write a tongue in cheek poem Carole:-) hugs Jan xx https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/punk_chew_asian_and_speeling_917445

Brian
Strand

Date: 7/2/2017 11:38:00 PM

Thank you Carol for your comments on my open poetry(see my comment below) .I wrote a number of such (sans punctuation ) poems circa 2012 (all posted here,and received many favourable comments) and the key thereto was line indentation, where the rhythm of the eye naturally provides the ' pause' and 'stop'.My inspiration was some poetry of Marianne Moore.

Brian Strand
Date: 7/3/2017 3:25:00 AM

Carol I have made a spinoff blog courtesy of your blog asit is easier forms show than tell in regard to techniques of open poetry sans punctuation

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 7/2/2017 10:08:00 PM

Hey Keith... I understand your POV more than you know. I've played with non-punctuation and it isn't my style, but I've read many non-punctuated poems and have enjoyed them very much. I really like Ferlinghetti (check out this one circa the 1950's) https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52319/constantly-risking-absurdity-15. This choice whether to write with or without punctuation started a few generations back. I love commas, love them, love them, love them. But I do like omitting the full stop of periods (sometimes) and I recently wrote a poem of 'field notes.' I used space to show the thought process of observation (like a police notebook!) Intentional.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 7/3/2017 3:00:00 PM

:DDD Carrots! haha! But Ferlinghetti's is about being a poet, about the highwire act of writing, so gorgeous, so real about what we do... and I wonder if it will touch you the same way it touched me? (PS-- Crozier wrote a whole veggie series... cracks me up!)

Agnes
Krampe

Date: 7/2/2017 8:52:00 PM

Omitting punctuation can be used as a tool to leave open the possibilty for multiple meanings. Leaving out the punctuation mark enables the reader to discover and ponder the double meaning that would escape him or her if a comma or period made the structure unambiguous. But this should be a deliberate choice by the poet, not not just laziness or incompetence. I sometimes intentionally omit punctuation in free verse, because I do not want to interfere with the multiplicity of meanings.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 7/3/2017 8:15:00 AM

Excellent observation, Agnes. I deplore it , however, when someone is confusing us by using lots of clauses and the meaning gets totally misread for lack of attention to the simple use of commas. Line breaks are also so important. if one wants to write with no punctuation, they better be a darn good writer and have a reason for it (not just doing it because they don't even know punctuation rules)

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 7/2/2017 10:12:00 AM

Punctuation is another tool for a poet to use or not use. Poetry can but does not NEED to use grammar rules as the poet writes the rules. A poet is kind of like Lewis Carroll, writing their own versions of Wonderland. However, once a poet has laid down the map to the poem and how it should be read, the poet should keep to the map. So, perhaps the poet only uses commas but no periods, or no punctuation ... then that should play-out through the whole poem. The idea of no punctuation is so that it is a quick read, no pauses, machine-gun-imagery rata-tat-tat. White space can easily replace a comma. Punctuation alters the pacing of a poem. Sometimes, a poet doesn't want the thought to end

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 7/2/2017 10:18:00 AM

Here is an interesting article which may help northamericanreview.org/punctuation-in-poetry-by-jack-cooper

Brian
Strand

Date: 7/2/2017 9:01:00 AM

Carol ,the limiting breath length,will generally control punctuation in any form of poetry,and can be used effectively instead of punctuation in open poetry.I have just re posted as an example thereof my poem 'A poem sans punctuation'

Carole Duet
Date: 7/2/2017 10:33:00 PM

I agree, Barry. As a former reading teacher, I can tell you that punctuation in poetry just like prose, is very helpful in teaching kids how to read and how to read poetry in particular, especially since the line breaks in poetry are so different from prose.

Brian Strand
Date: 7/2/2017 9:06:00 AM

I wrote my open poetry examples as an exercise .As others say below ,if the poet wants his/her poem read/said as he/she intended then punctuation would seem to be essential otherwise it is merely a puzzle to solve

Barry
Stebbings

Date: 7/2/2017 4:40:00 AM

I agree with Carole. Punctuation is a natural form of expression and communication in our language, and I cannot see any value in not using it. Punctuation is implied in speech and used in prose so I do not see any reason to exclude it from poetry. I find poetry without punctuation difficult to read and often do not read these poems. In fact there is a contradiction in not using punctuation. Poetry, to my mind, is a spoken art form. Therefore the punctuation is expressed by the reader, whether it is printed or not. As for modernity - does modernity say there has to be no punctuation? No!

Julia
Ward

Date: 7/2/2017 2:39:00 AM

Sometimes not using punctuation in a Free Verse poem is for effect and to give it modernity. It is quite acceptable, IMO.

Julia Ward
Date: 7/2/2017 11:42:00 AM

Lin - I was talking about the *principle* of not punctuating as I'm sure most people recognized. I didn't say if it were right or wrong.

Lin Lane
Date: 7/2/2017 5:41:00 AM

Non-punctuation means no punctuation is included, therefore, it is not used and cannot be used wisely, astutely or otherwise. Poetry is a reflection of the poet's thoughts, so to punctuate or not is a matter of choice.. not what is right or wrong. Abstract art verses detailed art...to each his own.

Julia Ward
Date: 7/2/2017 4:15:00 AM

Keith, The woman lived some time ago, and I did refer to modern usage. Used wisely, astute use of non-punctuation enhances a poem.

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Why No Punctuation???

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