Punctuation marks are important in poetry,
Just like in any other work of literature,
For without them, a poem may just be blurry
And as tasteless as ditch water.
So, punctuate your poems, dear poets.

Use the comma to introduce a pause,
To emphasize a particular phrase or word,
And as a surrogate for "and" in a clause;
When one thought is expressed in two or more lines
Without any punctuations, the lines are
Called run-ons:
Meaning they're read together as one line.

Use a full-stop to introduce a long pause.
That means the end of a thought for any cause.
Don't you use question marks to introduce a querry?
For anythings that sounds quite amazing or scary,
What an imprudent thing it is not to use an exclamation mark!

Should you want to make a thought contrasting
The one on the previous line of your writing,
Use a semicolon;
However, should the next sentence be expounding on
The previous one, use a full colon:
It is a punctuation mark with two dots, up and down,
And is also used to introduce a list of items.

"Quotation marks must not be forgotten
When writing direct speeches any often,"
Said my teacher of English.
"Place them properly, not as you wish."
The hyphens, the ellipsis marks... not be misused,
All of these and many more have their meaning
When in a poem they are appropriately used,
Or even in any peace of writing.

So, dear poets, punctuate your works
To make the meaning clearer,
And to give your readers a time easier
When they go through your great works.

© Laminsah