What are the various thoughts out there on punctuation and grammar? Do you follow the classical style by capitalizing each line and making sure you add the commas, or is that just the frills on your poetry? Tell me what you think.
Poetry is a matter of emotion.Its not writing a letter or a prose on any subject.When someone whispers the poet composition starts.Poets are free and they talk with GOD
Poetry is one of those exceptions to the rule. Punctuation can be helpful to throw off a rhyme, or create the rhythm that you want. It can also add and take away emphasis from a portion of the poem. If you want to see how it works, take all the punctuation out of a poem, read it and then put the punctuation back. It's really a matter of preference
Punctuation and grammar are as individual as the poet and the poem. I feel that it should be used when nessessary, depending on the angle the poet is trying to perceive. Like most others, I am sure, it is obvious to anyone when a poem's "improper" grammar or punctuation is intentional or just in with a disreguard to editting.
I don't think I agree with anybody in this whole friggen forum. I'm not a "poet" I guess you could say. I actually prefer to write. And with that I believe that what you write is yours. You don't have to "properly" do ANYTHING! Everytime you write anything you make something new therefore making your own fucking rules and doing whatever you feel is write. If you don't want to punctuate then don't punctuate. Use whatever grammer you want do whatever you feel necessary to get your point across. WRITE BACKWARDS! I lie though. I do agree with a few things that a few people say. But for the most part, I don't have anything nice to say. So I'll stop.
I like what ivhaditup2here said. I pretty much agree with that. I mean, I believe you should write for yourself. And it makes sense to you then go for it. If you writing to impress than I don't know... follow the rules i guess? But that's not the point. I like using proper grammer unless the poem is set in a different kind of voice. For instance, in Remember When, It was about childhood and innocense so I used some childish grammer mistakes. But nothing horrible. Punctuation, i don't really care about. I don't usually use a lot of punctuation in my poems.
Yeah...look at poet E.E.Cummings. That guy wrote monumental works with everything in them BUT punctuation! It is the individual artist's style that separates poetry from all the other literary genres.
Poetry is a place where we are free to break the rules. I'm so sick of people (teachers, especially) claiming someone has written a poem in the 'wrong' way. It's the artists' realm of whatever; punctuation, grammar, capitalization and political correctness do not matter. As long as the piece speaks to at least one person (including the author), let poetry be poetry.
The way I see it, in poetry, art, music, etc. there really is no right or wrong. Same with life. There's a common way to do it all, but there really are no rules, just boundaries of closed minds.
I think it is based on the poet. Many people who review my poetry always get on me for my use of i. I dislike the capitalization of it because in most of my poetry I'm not important it's the message....if that makes sense.
actually it was e.e cumings. He was very particular about not capitalizing anything in his name. I think that poets should abide to the basic rules of grammar and spelling, but its not like compulsory. Sometimes incorrect spelling or grammar helps you get your point across. Or it helps with the general feeling of the poem.
You can't write a poem a wrong way, you just write it. Its like how my art teacher constantly says that you need to learn about form and compostion, but I think you should just draw whatever you are inspired to draw. Same thing here, write whatever you are inspired to write, but for the sake of your reader please try to spell correctly, so we don't need a cipher to interpret your poetry. It is also interesting to remember what Robert Graves said, "Every English poet should master the rules of grammar before he attempts to bend or break them." I think you should at least adhere to the basics without worrying about whether a period goes inside the parenthesis or outside, (it goes inside by the way.)
Budless, The work of Cummings is not devoid of punctuation. He certainly didn't shy away from the use of parentheses, anyway! My opinion: I agree with the sentiment that "proper" grammar and punctuation are sometimes detrimental to a poem's theme. That said, generally, I try to make a piece work "properly" before tossing out the rulebook. I like to think of conformance to the guidelines as a challenge, so I tend to consider the strident non-conformist's so-called "freedom" as a bit of a cop-out. But again, that's just my opinion. ;)
you know? I think we should keep away from the extremes: I agree, there's not a "formula" to write "correctly"... but there's a line between writing freely, and making a mess... I believe that: 1) Language evolves, so its rules may be changed. 2) Artistic writing must "feel good" to its writer. 3) rules were made TO BE BROKEN... but you can only break them if you know them, and you know why you're breaking them. My conclusion: write as you feel and not as anyone else tells you it should feel. But know why you feel it that way, and no other.
I don't know if it's OK, I just know that that is what I believe. Feel free to disagree, for everyone is on the right to write however they want, I just gave my view on it. LOL
Mmm... Let me say first that I am an Argentinian who studies English at college, so I think that grammar and punctuation are important in the sense that the poet needs to convey meaning (as a friend of mine, who is a wonderful teacher, once told me.) although they may be writing to themselves. Of course a writer may play with them, but to do that, they must be really intelligent so as not to create misunderstandings. When desiding how to write something, intelligibility should come first. Parka
I think grammar is very important - I would even say it is vital; how can one expect to be understood if one cannot use the language properly? Words are the writers sole ammunition; vocabulary is essential. If you want to earn respect and recognition for your art, you yourself must recognize and respect it first. Skipping capital letters I can understand to signify some type of rebellion against the 'institution', but misspelling? You have to ask yourself - do I want (not wont) people to understand what they're (not their) reading (not reeding), or don't I?
It's my personal opinion that punctuation can be manipulated to create certain effects on you words. Sometimes classical punctuation suits the poem best. Sometimes, more abstract styles can add to the piece. I do believe good grammar (spelling mostly) should be used, though.
style
Grammar: important in any written work. Punctuation: i prefer proper punctuation and i think commas, semicolons etc are needed to add drama and effect to the poem. However if a poem had a purposefully rambling tone perhaps no punctuation would help achieve that effect.