Tuesday, September 21, 2010

ode to un-punctuated verses

commas, apostrophes or full stops
I might like those in prose
but in your poetry or even mine
I seldom seek those

why grudge it then
if it gives me limitless choices
language always grows
despite dissenting voices

why let your heckles rise
and end up in a rant
there is always an option
why let ants in your pants?

if silence can be heard, 
why not un-punctuated verse
ever heard of poetic license
which certainly is no curse!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why don't you write something for exceptions to the rule from We Write Poems?

48 comments:

flaubert said...

This is perfect Gautami!
You had me up and kicking my heels,
hooray!
Pamela

Brian Miller said...

ha. i am bad about punctuation...but this gives me a sense of freedom...pause when you want no comma to tell you must...nice one shot!

Desert Rose said...

interesting one shot, thank you for sharing..:)

Maureen said...

I like that you have fun writing poetry. This one makes me smile.

Timoteo said...

I do have ants in my pants, as a matter of fact...people just think I'm jumpy.

Enjoyed your poem...yes, it's called poetic license, I think!

Carrie Van Horn said...

I love this poem....an ode to unpunctuated verses....so creative, and wonderful! :-)

gautami tripathy said...

Yes, timoteo! Thanks! I stand corrected!!

:D

SuziCate said...

Thanks for making grammar fun! Smiles!

Anonymous said...

I like your ode - I used to be a proper grammarian, but I find myself using poetic license more and more as I become freer in my writing. Nice!

KB said...

This made me giggle. When I'm in full swing, my punctuation goes out the window.

Ana said...

Love the "limitless choices and dissenting voices" rhyme. :)

steveroni said...

careful with those words "poetic license"...or they governments will be selling them annually. ooops I put a dot in there somewhere

great--and short oneshot
thanks

dustus said...

"language always grows
despite dissenting voices"

Language is dynamic and ever-changing in both use and added meanings. Your poem makes some great points. Well don One Shot!

Ramesh Sood said...

Befitting words who is bothered about puctuation thats freedom too
well done gautami goodone

Wild Rose said...

Great oneshot and thanks for sharing it with us, i liked your lines :)

Rinkly Rimes said...

I'm addicted to exclamation marks! Very infra dig!

Unknown said...

A vexed question, Gautami! I love punctuation even though I may not use it properly! (And exclamation marks too!)

Mary said...

I find that sometimes in poetry I use punctuation, and sometimes I don't. I enjoy the choice and give the same to others.

irene said...

Oh this is pretty fun! Poetic license is gooooood.

Gabriela Abalo said...

brilliant!!

I love it :)

Shashidhar Sharma said...

Very very nice... I liked it a lot...

ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Connect with me on Twitter at @VerseEveryDay to read one verse everyday on life, love and longing...

Diane T said...

In poetry you first have to know the rules, but then it is your choice whether to use them or not. We are artists afterall, LOL. Love this poem.

Anonymous said...

I agree with most here... this is perfect. Made me smile. Love and Light, Sender

gautami tripathy said...

It is not I don't use punctuation. I do most of the times but it is my choice after all, if i don't. And yes I write my poetry in small case.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

very beautiful and admirable piece.

G-Man said...

I mispunctuate on purpose and for effect...Misspell also!
Loved this gautami...
You Rock!!

joanna said...

This was a clever piece of writing and it brought lots of smiles to my face and heart as I was reading each line.


Nice one shot,

Joanny
http://thedowsersdaughter.blogspot.com/

Claudia said...

this was clever and fun writing - think you deserve your poetic licence…smiles

Caribbean Fool said...

Thanks for the eyeballs and time. Fantastic poetry, I just never bothered to learn any rules in the first place, keeps you from breaking them with purpose and makes you make them up as you go along. Works for a lot of other stuff too. Loved reading your piece,

crb.

RiikaInfinityy said...

I shall not use them in the future XD~ haha! but commas do great job sometimes to separate things up;D~

Elizabeth said...

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on a whole lot of things. I usually don't have trouble reading your poetry because of the way its written, you have the concept of breathline down so well, I never notice the lack of punctuation. Good response,

Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed wit of response to discussion re. the properness of poetry. The term 'free' in free verse does suggest a certain freedom from constraint. I think it more difficult to not be able to rely on the punctuation. Have a day of bright blessings.

Anya Padyam said...

That was just so awesome!!! Wow!

speechless at the excellent verse!

Anya Padyam said...

usually, I try to include all the right punctuations (at least what I feel are the right punctuations)

almost feel guilty if I don't use one! have to try writingone without :)

pwf said...

chuckle
looooooove the ants! a grand response
Punctuation in poems is tricky. There are times when I want to leave meaning open, and intentionally choose none-of-the-above. of course there are times I'm just lazy

Anonymous said...

oh, but you had fun with this one. I agree that language grows. It's stubborn silliness is one of the joys of English, (and a trial, as well)

Beachanny said...

I read your work for what it said and thought hmm sometimes I do that and then I thought, but not usually.
I read your work for how it says and thought, how clever-- always so clever and talented
I read your work again and read mine and thought, Should I have taken out the punctuation? I tried it--I liked it, I didn't like it, it was already posted...I said to heck with it..it's done...stick a fork in it!
As always, thank you, Gay (@beachanny)

Anonymous said...

To punctuate or not to punctuate? I am guilty of both. I guess I am a rebel. I don't adhere much to rules in writing. I lose myself in conformity. I just ride the wave of the muse. Interesting concept. A voice of defiance, stand by your verse. Love it.

Glynn said...

I smiled with this poem. You did well -- you asked the question we all do but we leave the answer in the "silence unheard."

Amanda said...

And you sure know how to make those grammar and puntuations fun...Wonderful work my friend xx Thanks for sharing x

Unknown said...

Playful and about grammar. Two of my favorite properties. xD

Nice work. I'm a grammar freak when it comes to prose, but I break all the rules for poetry. I mean, it's poetry! =P

Uma said...

Oh yes, why not? I vote for un- punctuated verse

Marshy said...

the last stanza made me smile..think i have lived my life by that...poetic license...thanks for sharing with One Shot...pete

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading this, Gautami. For me, the voice and feeling of the poem dictate whether or not I use punctuation, and to each his own.

-Nicole

Anonymous said...

a proper punctuater i
try and try and try and try
to leave it out but am averse
to the effect the omission
has on my verse
so while i applaud
your heartfelt plea
that kind of poem is not me
viv

PattiKen said...

This is terrific, Gautami. "Why let ants in your pants?" Why indeed?

moondustwriter said...

Free to be me!!!

I am manic about editing stories and text.
I love poetry because I can misspell make up grandiose and miniscule words

What a great One Shot

Moon smiles

Anonymous said...

Poetry is just another word for Freedom!! Nicely said, Gauthami...
If the feeling's there, it will be heard too...