Friday, September 23, 2016

Punctuation! Punctuation? Punctuation.

In honor of National Punctuation Day, we Teaching Authors are addressing punctuation in this new series of posts. I’ve seen plenty of run-on sentences lately, so I thought I’d address them here.

This sign shows one of many solutions I’ve seen to the “How do I punctuate this?” dilemma: Do nothing.

Here are some helpful suggestions for what to do with a run-on instead:
Thinking about punctuation, I remembered Lilian Moore’s wonder-filled poem “Winter Dark,” about the punctuation she saw in New York City.
“Soon
there’s a comma of a moon...”
You can read Lilian Moore’s biography and watch Renee LaTulippe and Lee Bennett Hopkins discuss her life and work in the Spotlight on NCTE Poets series at No Water River.  (Scroll down to read the whole poem in the spread from Mural on Second Avenue.) While you’re there, be sure to check out the rest of the series!

Just for fun, watch Victor Borge’s hilarious Phonetic Punctuation routine. And don’t forget to enter our Teaching Authors Book Giveaway to win a copy of Cheryl Klein’s The Magic Words. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and ends September 26.

I’m thrilled to be heading to Poetry Camp at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA, where I’ll meet in person many poets I know only through poems and blog posts. And our own April will be there, too! Yippee!

Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup is at Reading to the Core. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken

8 comments:

Linda B said...

Oh, fun to see the different ways people try to help punctuation, or not! There are so many of you going to Poetry Camp-wow! Have a fabulous time!

JoAnn Early Macken said...

Thanks, Linda! I thought I had seen poorly punctuated or unpunctuated signs all over until I looked for examples. Then one popped up right where I didn't want to see it. Yes, I'm really looking forward to Poetry Camp! You'll be there, too, along with many other Poetry Friday participants in our presentation on Blogging about Poetry.

Esther Hershenhorn said...

Thank you for these fun and informative links, JoAnn!
Enjoy Poetry Camp, too. Lucky you!

Anonymous said...

Comma splices are my nemesis! I'm off to read Lilian's poem. Have a wonderful time at Poetry Camp!

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

I could sure use a personal punctuation wrangler. Love that comma moon, though. :) Have fun at Poetry Camp, JoAnn!

Robyn Hood Black said...

Can't wait to see you soon, JoAnn!!!!!!!!!! (Um, too many exclamation points?)

Carmela Martino said...

Great links! Especially the Khan's Academy quiz. I'd never seen that before.

gene said...

Thanks, everyone! I'm home from an amazing trip to Bellingham, Washington for Poetry Camp. We drove all the way from Wisconsin & stopped at several national monuments on the way back. Now back to work!