The Punctuation Sonata

As some sort of half-assed but ardent reaction to Tony's post about effective use of punctuation in poetry, I'd like to post a poem that I wrote back in the fall of 2008. As a poet, I've changed quite a bit since writing this poem, but the issues that I deal with are stupid-close to the matters at hand about punctuation.

The story with this poem is that I spent one drunken night on my porch trying to emotionally relate to punctuation marks. Once I felt like I formed some sort of empathetic bond with the comma, I realized that I should probably just write a poem about it and be done with it.

I ended up spending a lot more time on this piece then I regularly do with poetry (which is funny given the nature of the damn thing), and once I felt like it was finished I put it to bed, and have been unsure how to handle it since. So, if anything, I really hope you enjoy it - and that formatting issues aren't too much of a bitch.

The Punctuation Sonata

Movement I - for instrument, not excluding the voice

eerup eerup eerup errup? eerup

I am five commas
cosmic cosmetology caustic commas

doop doop doop
Hi there! I'm a period
once a month
once a sentence
no catches, no hidden fees doop

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM
THE EXCLAMATION STOMP STOMP
(stop stomping - I'm trying to balance ice on my nose)
BAM BAM BAM
(I mean it! Stomp stopping stomp stooping - no wait, no, wait no...)
Like an elephant, the exclamation
SHOVES aside the period to show that you really mean this!!
eerup eerup eerup eerup eeeeeruuup?
what what what what huh what what
(I just have no idea about it)


whoa! whoa! eerup?




Movement II - For the hands, face & voice. In 3/4 time.


, , , " ? " :
. . - . " "
- " , ; , ; - " - ; ;
" . . . :
" - , ; - ?
, ? - ! ! ! -

eerup eerup eerup dink narrr donk boof
doop doop whoa doop dink donk
whoa dink eerup snarkel eerup snarkel
whoa donk whoa snarkel snarkel
dink doop doop doop boof
donk whoa eerup snarkel whoa narrr
eerup narrr whoa BAM BAM BAM whoa

Movement III - For all creatures on Earth.

watch as I cuuuuuuuurve aROUND you
breaking and connecting you away from your family and into miiiiiiine

The downstairs
The downstairs neighbors
The downstairs neighbors are doing
The downstairs
The downstairs neighbors
The downstairs neighbors are doing it
They are doing the exclamation point stomp

, ? !
what are you not saying
what is your snot saying

...
i love you apostrophe
CLAUSE CLAUSE CLAUSE

Hello how are you Great

CLAAAAAUSE

i love you apostrophe

,

?

!

The exclamation point STOMP! CLAUSE!
i love you apostrophe what is your snot saying?
whooooooooooa! Hi there! I'm a comma! cosmic cosmetology! STOMP!

(Simultaneously)

LH:

RH:

STOMP!

Hi there!

DOOP!

I'm a period

CLAUSE!

Like an elephant

DOOP!

The downstairs neighbors are

STOMP

Hi there!

STOMP:

How are you Great:

Would like to p < F

Cosmic F>p

try a peanut

commas

cosmic

whoa whoa

commas

changes

I'm a period

Once a month

once a sentence

Don't lick wet things

Their culture

Just throwing it out
female stereotype there!

The downstairs

Neighbors

ARE

DOING IT!

EERUP

EERUP

STOMP

STOMP

DOOP

DOOP

WHOA

WHOA

RUP

CLAUSE
CLAUSE