had no idea that punctuation in poetry was such a controversial area.
I am currently working with my editor on my new book of poems, "Some
Poems" by me, Kate Dempsey, to be published Moth Editions (You can see
details and buy one
here) on October 7th.
Yes, you are all invited to the launch 7.30pm Second Floor Studios,
The Former See House, Kilmore, Cavan. Actually, please come. I don't
know many people in and around Cavan.
One thing that we discussed was punctuation. I hadn't realised how grey an area it is.
There are two extremes.
1. Punctuate as you would prose.
Advantages:
It's very clear what you mean.
It's obvious where to pause when reading aloud
Disadvantages
There's less opportunity to play with double meanings
Over punctuation can look like the page has been pepper-shot or sprinkled with hundreds and thousands
2. Have no punctuation.
Advantages
You don't have to consider each piece of punctuation
More pleasing to the eye
Disadvantages
Lists may be confusing
meaning may be too confusing
harder to read aloud
So I have from my poem
Lump
For now it’s just a lump
a like it or lump it
a one lump or two, a lump sum
the size of a two euro coin, a heads or tails
an is she or isn’t she, all lumped in together
except it’s only me, on my own, with my lump
and everywhere I go, my lump goes too
And punctuated.
For now it’s just a lump,
a like it or lump it,
a one lump or two, a lump sum,
the size of a two euro coin, a heads or tails,
an is she or isn’t she, all lumped in together,
except it’s only me, on my own, with my lump,
and everywhere I go, my lump goes too.
In the end I decided that in a poem about lumps, so much punctuation
was too lumpy. I'm still in two minds about the need for a full stop at
the end of a stanza or at the end of a poem. Is it implied? There are
poems whose sentences run across two stanzas (enjambment) so maybe not.
And let's not start on shape poems where the line ending is determined
not so much by the meaning, as by the shape.
I also had from my poem
Developing Shadows the line
hands clenched little man
where I have deliberately left out any commas so the reader can
become a more active reader and decide for themselves what exactly is
clenched and what is little.
Quoted speech is a little more tricky. Quotes scattered across the
page can look very messy and usually the meaning can be made clear using
the more delicate comma. But not always.
And there's the bugbear, do you start each line with a capital, the
way Microsoft Word does as default. My gut says NO, NO, NO! there but
that's a personal choice!
So first.
1. Learn the rules before you break them
2. When you break them, know why
3. Don't be afraid to experiment
There's the
3rd option, best left to experienced
poets which is punctuation that messes with your head. I'm thinking here
particularly of one of my favourite poets, e e cummings from anyone
lived in a pretty how town
someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream
Fabulous.
You can hear him read it, very sing song,
here
