Kurt Vonnegut: “Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college.”
the first rule
if we are making rules
which is something
to consider
if your art is to begin with
something that bends
& stretches
language
& rolls it in a ball
to play catch with
or bounce on walls
of rigid mindset
is
there are no rules
as long as the
twisting & shaping
works so well
that whoever
happens to read
what you have done
to this inflexible thing
written words are usually
works
if you love
those winking anarchist
semicolons;
use them.
Those winking anarchist semicolons. HA! As an English teacher, I’ve got to remember to “borrow” that phrase.
Feel free! I had to defend the poor things.
no full stops too, just rolling dots trying to reflect where one stream of thought or its tributary stopped to catch its breath! —– should spontaneous creativity borrow the jackets of grammar to be respectable?
I have to be so rigid in my work usage that I prefer to be relaxed and as far from respectable as I can be in my poetry, in terms of grammar. All part of the fun! However, that is the anarchist speaking on her day off–not the policewoman I am most of the time. So much of my day job revolves around maintaining order and drawing gibberish into a framework where anything makes sense at all 🙂
Btw, it was your share on FB about commas that got me thinking about these poor abused semicolons somehow, which led to the KV quote–so a thank you is in order!
The first time I heard “full stop” used to end a sentence was in a medical report. So much more elegant than “period,” and much friendlier to speech rec software. Every time the poor Irish physician tried to end his sentence, I was leaving a blank.
A raspberry to you, Kurt.
I stand with the language anarchist.
With amused disdain,
A Transsexual Writer.
Standing right next to Nelle, to see whose raspberry can generate the most noise!
And Nelle–sending you a big virtual hug and high-five 🙂
Thank God you said to go ahead…I’d be lost without my semi and Kurt V….I never went to college so what does it say about me that I use them? ppppthhhhhhhhh;;;;;;;;
lol, it says you are an anarchist 🙂
hmmm, didn’t know my own strength!
and don’t forget this GREAT use of a semicolon 😉
Never. I use with relish and abandon!
winking anarchist… flipping awesome contrast to KV
Thank you! Not that I don’t like Kurt, but, come ON–please leave the poor punctuation marks alone.
I just finish reading A Man Without a Country and Slaughterhouse-Five. Nice.
🙂 love A Man Without a Country!