the slower the poem will read. Punctuation is not the only factor influencing a reader’s pace, but it is an important influence.
The poems published on this site vary in genre and quality. Many of the poets are drawer writers, who sometimes compose without much thought for grammar, and particularly punctuation. Any punctuation used goes to the left of a quotation mark. However, if the punctuation is used to punctuate the whole sentence and not just what is inside the quotation marks, then it goes to the right. ELLIPSIS Use an ellipsis to indicate a pause. Use an ellipsis to indicate omitted words in a quotation. Punctuation : Cadence or pace in poetry is influenced by the rhythm of the words, but it is also influenced by the amount and kind of punctuation. The general rule: the more punctuation, the slower the poem will read. Punctuation is not the only factor influencing a reader’s pace, but it is an important influence. tonivaver/iStock/Getty Images. Although a poem's punctuation can take any form desired by the author, there are a few guidelines to help along those who are unsure. There are six basic forms of punctuation used in a poem: period, semicolon, comma, question mark, exclamation point and dash. Use a question mark or exclamation point for major emphasis. In poetry, these are some of the least often used punctuation marks, meaning they should be used only for special occasions. Insert a dash when you need a pause that requires more emphasis than a comma but does not require a full stop. A mark of punctuation that comes within the line itself is called a caesura. Caesuras cause the reader to pause or stop in the middle of a line, providing a clear break in thought or slowing the pace of the poem. Some poets omit punctuation or use it minimally. A semicolon links two shared ideas; in poetry, a semicolon means the reader should pause, but not take a complete breath, because the next line is directly tied to the one just read. Caesura can also be created with a semicolon. Make a slight pause in the poem's forward movement with a comma.
http://www.thewritersdrawer.net/grammar-and-punctuation-in-poetry.html http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html http://poetrysocietyofcolorado.org/workshops/workshops-2011/punctuation-and-line-breaks-in-poetry http://www.ehow.com/how_8270701_punctuate-poem.html http://www.ehow.com/how_8270701_punctuate-poem.html http://poetrysocietyofcolorado.org/workshops/workshops-2011/punctuation-and-line-breaks-in-poetry http://www.ehow.com/how_8270701_punctuate-poem.html
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