Lec.

Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks

in Poetry: A Stylistic Study

The Deviated Use of Punctuation

Marks in Poetry:
A Stylistic Study
Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra
University of Al-Qadissiya

Abstract

Language is a powerful tool in the hands of a poet. Punctuation marks

(symbols or signs used to make the writer‟s meaning clear) are the tool one can use
to talk to the reader and draw his/her attention to specific points. Punctuation
marks are important syntactically and semantically; since each one has its own uses
and meanings. Their oddness and unconventional use by some poets such as
Cummings, Blake, and Pound helps them to color their poems with special aspects
and serves them to convey various meanings. Naturally, stylistics is the science
through which the use of language in literature can be dealt with.

1. Punctuation Marks : An ntroduction Truss (2004:77) reveals that the first

Actually, when one speaks, one can writing systems were mostly
use different linguistic devices to make logographic and /or syllabic and they do
his/her meaning clear such as: stress, not necessarily require punctuation
intonation, rhythm, pauses sometimes because the entire morpheme or word is
by using facial expressions or by using typically clustered within a single glyph.
gestures, even if all else fails , by The Greeks began using punctuation
repeating what one has said. However, marks, consisting of vertically arranged
when one writes, one cannot use any of dots, in around the 5th century B.C. The
these devices and if the words are Romans also adopted symbols to
strung all together without ever indicate pauses. Punctuation developed
indicating where the pauses should be, dramatically when large numbers of
no one would understand the thoughts copies of the Christian Bible started to
and ideas we are trying to express. The be produced and read aloud and the
work that these devices do in speech is copyists began to introduce a range of
entirely handled by "punctuation". To marks to help the readers including
grasp what punctuation is, it is indentation, various punctuation marks
important to pass through its historical and initial capitals. With the invention
development briefly. of moveable type in Europe in the 14th
and 15th centuries began an increase of

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Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
printed material. The rise of printing reason for punctuating is to make the
meant that a standard system of meaning clear and every punctuation
punctuation was urgently required. The mark has particular job to do, so there
full stop, colon, and the comma were should be a conventional system of
the only ones used until the close of the punctuation which is consistent and
15th century. In process of time, the sensible. If the case is not like this, a
semicolon was added and the marks of reader has to wade through the writer‟s
interrogation and admiration were strange punctuation, having trouble
introduced later. following his /her meaning; at worst,
Shaw (1986:137) makes it clear that the reader may be genuinely unable to
punctuation is a method by which the understand what the writer has written.
meaning of written communication is Depending on many references,
made clear through the use of certain Razzak and Helen (2000:43-59) classify
marks. punctuation marks into four types:
Similarly, Trask (1997:2) explains 1. End punctuation marks: The full stop,
that punctuation is not an the question mark, and the exclamation
inconsequential bit of decoration and it mark.
is not regarded as a deeply personal 2. Non- end punctuation marks: The
matter; it is one aspect of written comma, the semicolon, the colon, and the
English. Punctuation is placed in text " dash.
to make meaning clear and to make 3. Enclosing punctuation marks:
reading easier."(MacCaskill, 2012:44). Brackets (square and round), invented
Moreover, punctuation usually serves commas or quotation marks.
certain general purposes through 4. Punctuation marks used within the
certain symbols or signs called word: The apostrophe, the hyphen, and
punctuation marks. Shaw (1986:138) the abbreviation dot.
summarizes these purposes as follows: It is worth noting that some
1.To end or terminate a statement (by writers such as Trask(1997:53)and
using a period , a question MacCaskill(2012:75) add the asterisk
mark , or an exclamation mark); these and the slash as punctuation marks
marks are called used in writing.
" terminal marks". Each of these marks is a sort of
2.To introduce (by using a comma, a short hand device, or road sign that
colon, or a dash). assists the reader. Every mark is
3.To separate parts of a sentence or effective and it has its own meaning as it
word (by using a comma, a semicolon, a will be shown at section 2. The presence
dash, a hyphen, or an apostrophe). or absence of every mark is harmful if it
4.To enclose parts of a sentence or a impedes the flow of the idea the writer
whole section (by using parentheses, or intends to convey to the reader.
brackets). MacCaskill (2012:44) assures that the
Thus, the purpose of punctuation is function of a punctuation mark is the
practical, not ornamental, and the basis for the rules governing its use and

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Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
should be the basis for determining phonology or syntax. In his text
whether or not it is needed. grammar, Nunberg treats all words
Chafe (1987:21-25) argues that uniformly and groups them iteratively
punctuation marks should be into certain textual units according to
considered in strict connection with the the surrounding punctuation. Dale
particular organization structure, and (1991:13-14) proposes that the
the written text at the discourse level, semantics of punctuation can be treated
not merely the sentence. in terms of rhetorical or discourse
Punctuation is considered by relations such as narrative,
Ferreiro and Pontecorvo (1999:544) as continuation, explanation, elaboration,
one of the main streams of writing parallel, contrast and so forth. He
mechanism; it is of psychological and emphasizes the important role of
educational importance because punctuation in cueing the correct
punctuation is a part of writing that interpretation for many text sentences.
needs to be dealt with in text To shed more light on the
construction. The appropriate use of importance of the punctuation marks, it
punctuation shows that a person has is interesting to summarize what
good knowledge of grammar and it Buchholz (1979:227-234) explains. He
helps to bring the right kind of clarifies that everybody wants power to
expression into writing for which voice, exert control over others; one way to
intonation, volume, tone, pauses are seize this control, at least in writing, is
used while speaking. through punctuation dynamics: the
In addition, Truss (2004:71) makes subtle power to awe the reader into
it clear that" on the page, punctuation submission through adept placement of
performs its grammatical function, but punctuation. Certain punctuation
in the mind of the reader it does more marks, if used well, signed whether the
than that. It tells the reader how to turn writer is power figure or not. For
the tune."For instance," Don‟t stop" instance, parentheses enhance the
means carry on .You are not required devastation because they graphically
to stop. Rewriting the same words as represent the inconspicuous relay, as
"Don‟t. stop" immediately. Definitely they look much like hands cupped
both sentences would be spoken in a around a whisper being mouthed with
different manner to show the difference subtle finesse. Subconsciously, they
in meaning. represent two sidewise smiles, the
Nunberg(1990)and Dale(1991) superior cunning. He states that the
explain the syntax and semantics of dash dramatically holds us at bay for a
punctuation and its use in moment and then speeds the statement.
interpretation. Nunberg (1990:18) The power of semicolon is derived
argues that punctuation system is firstly largely from its psychological impact.
systematic and linguistic in the sense He thinks that the semicolon is
that it obeys principles and constraints, misunderstood; it is mysterious: it is
and secondly it is a separate linguistic therefore held in esteem and is even
subsystem not reducible to principles of feared. He considers the semicolon as( a

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Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
conspicuous punctuation ) that gives included before the end of quotation
strength, so sentences with semicolon mark. Points of ellipsis (three evenly
spring from a good consciousness. spaced periods) are used in formal
Buchholz regards colon the mark of writing to indicate an omission from
presidents and full professors, the quoted material. The terminal period
ultimate mark of punctuation, for it (full stop) is always retained after
commands obedience. The colon, ellipsis to enhance meaning.
because it reflects the heights erudition,
is therefore used in any endeavor that 2.Question Mark (?)
needs style to bolster flattering It is placed to terminate a direct
substance. question, whether the question is an
From the previous discussion, it is independent sentence or a direct
clear that punctuation marks are not quotation. It may be inserted into the
only important to clarify specific middle of something, inside parentheses
meanings in a text but they also convey to show uncertainty.
certain messages about their users to
the reader. 3.Exclamation Mark (!)
2. Uses of Punctuation Marks It is known informally as a bang or a
The researcher adopts the shriek. It is used to express surprise,
classification of the punctuation marks command, emphasis, or strong emotion.
in the English language made by Larry It is used after interjection such as Oh! ,
Trask(1997:1-62) and Mary K. Wow! , and That hurts! .
McCaskill(1998:44-75) because their
books in "punctuation" are direct and 4.Comma (,)
comprehensive. These marks can be It is frequently used but it is often used
listed as follows: wrongly. It has four distinct uses:
1.Full Stop (.) also called period a.The listing comma: It is used as a kind
It is chiefly used to mark the end of of substitute for the word „‟and‟‟, or
declarative and imperative sentences. sometimes for „‟or‟‟. It is also used
`A period` should be used only after a before „‟and‟‟ or „‟or‟‟ only if this is
complete sentence with subject and necessary to make meaning clear.
predicate. - You can fly to Bombay via Moscow,
It may follow abbreviations except via Athens or via Cairo.
those for units of measure; or it may be -My favourite opera composers are
used after a person‟s initials and in this Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, and Gilbert and
case it is called abbreviation dot by Sullivan.
some writers such as Razzak and Helen Here the comma before and shows
(2000:52) . `A period` may be used only clearly that Gilbert and Sullivan
with quotation marks, parentheses and worked together
brackets, and points of ellipsis; it is
never repeated after an abbreviation. It b. The joining comma: it is used to join
is important to state that the period is complete sentences and it must be

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Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
followed by one of these connecting at www.blogger.com by Julia Newman
words: and, but, yet, or, and while. titled as " sex and the semicolon". She
-You must hand in your essay by discusses the idea that some writers
Friday, or you will receive a mark of think that the semicolon bears feminine
zero. qualities; she believes that this idea
c. The gapping comma: It is easy, it is comes from the fact that many writers
used to show that one or more words do not like the semicolon and are
have been left out when the missing looking for ways to devalue it. She adds
words would simply repeat the words that one way of looking at this
already used earlier in the same argument is that semicolon is more
sentence. feminine in that it produces lengthier
-Some Norwegians wanted to base their sentences. Alternatively, another piece
national language on the speech of the of punctuation, such as the masculine
capital city; others, on the speech of the dash or blunt period, is more „manly‟
rural countryside. because they get to the point more
d. The bracketing commas (isolating directly.
commas): A pair of bracketing commas Clearly, such articles enforce the
is used to set off a weak interruption impressive stylistic role of the
which could be removed from the punctuation marks in addition to their
sentence without destroying it. syntactic and semantic effect, for their
-These findings, we would suggest, cast use may even refer to the sex of the
doubt upon his hypothesis. writer as some writers claim.
5.Semicolon (:) 6.Colon (:)
It is used to join two complete It is used to indicate that what
sentences into a single sentence. The use follows it is an explanation or
of the semicolon highlights the close elaboration of what precedes it. A colon
relationship between the two sentences. may be used to introduce a direct
Certain connecting words require a quotation, particularly if the quote is
preceding semicolon such as: however, long (more than one sentence). It may
therefore, hence, thus, consequently, be used between two clauses when the
nevertheless and meanwhile. It denotes second amplifies or restates the first.
nearly a full stop. It precedes phrases A colon is nearly always preceded
like that is, namely, for example, in by complete sentence; what follows the
other words, and for instance. colon may or may not be a complete
Sometimes a semicolon is used as `super sentence, and it may be a mere list or
commas ` to avoid confusion to separate even a single word. A colon is not
elements in series when one or more normally followed by a capital letter ,
contain commas; for instance though sometimes it is preferred to use
Attending the meeting were Travis Clay a capital.
pool, the mayor; Richard Hold, the city 7.Dash (-)
engineer; and Sandra Lee, the architect. It is an informal punctuation
While the researcher was surfing device that denotes a sudden break in
the internet, she came across an article thought, an interruption, or an abrupt

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Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
change to tone. Double dashes may be nonstandard way. When one needs to
separated or combined; they may act as quote a quotation within a quotation,
semicolons, colons or commas to one would use single quotation to set off
separate nonessential elements which the inside quotation. It is important to
require additional emphasis or some explain that the period is included
form of exclamation or interruption. before the end of quotation mark but if
The double dashes give much more the quotation is a sentence within a
emphasis than a comma to a question, the quotation marks will
nonessential element. Triple dashes are appear after the end of quotation mark.
also used but infrequently to introduce Similarly, if the exclamation is part of a
quoted text, working similarly to an quotation that ends the sentence, then
ellipsis mark (…). the exclamation mark is placed before
8.Parentheses ( ) the end of quotation. However, if the
A pair of parentheses is used to set exclamation belongs to the writer, and
off a strong or weak interruption, not the original source, then it is
rather like a pair of dashes or a pair of included after the quotation mark.
bracketing commas. Parentheses are 10. Apostrophe (‘)
preferable rather than dashes or It is considered the most
bracketing commas, when the troublesome punctuation mark in
interruption is best regarded as a kind English, for the confusion about
of “aside‟‟ from the writer to the apostrophes is great, yet it is a blunt
reader. Parentheses are also used to set fact that the incorrect use of
off additional information or a brief apostrophes will make one‟s writing
explanation of an unfamiliar term. look illiterate more quickly than almost
However, some poets like Cummings any other kind of mistake. It is used to
have used them to indicate several indicate possession; to form the plurals
functions in their poems as it is of abbreviations, characters, and signs.
amplified lately in this research. It is used in writing contractions- that
9.Quotation Marks(‘’ ‘’) or Inverted is, shortened forms of words from
Commas which one or more letters have been
The chief use of quotation marks is omitted.
to enclose a direct quotation (a 11. Hyphen (-)
repetition of someone‟s exact words). It is used to connect words or parts
Sometimes quotation marks are used to of words: it connects the syllables of
distance the writer from a word or words broken at the ends of lines, it
phrase or to show that he/she is using it connects prefixes and suffixes to words,
ironically. They may enclose words that and it connects compound words. The
need to be differentiated from the text modern trend is away from
in order to make meaning clear. Italics hyphenation. The hyphen has several
are used for much the same purpose. related uses; yet in every case, it is used
Sometimes the quotation marks are to show that what it is attached to does
used to enclose technical terms used in a not make up a complete word by itself.

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Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
3. Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry
12. Italics, Capital letters, Asterisks, and Linguists are, naturally enough,
Slashes interested in poetry for their own
The purpose of using italics, capital sectarian reasons. They may seek
letters, or asterisks very closely linguistic uses of poetic facts like the
resembles the purpose of punctuation, syllable, the syntactic phrase, prosodic
to make meaning clear and reading structures, and the like; they hope” to
easier. mine poetry for its evidential nuggets”.
Italics are used to distinguish letters, But there are also poetic uses of
words, or phrases to be emphasized, linguistic facts and it is in this realm
special terminology, symbols, and linguists can contribute to the study of
words or letters to be differentiated poetry (Zwicky, 1986: 64). What the
from text. Most commonly, italics are researcher has in mind here is to
used to draw attention to some illuminate the deviated use of the
particular part of a text. The punctuation marks by some poets which
conventional substitute is to use helps them to add special flavour to
underlining or write the elements in their poems and to achieve specific
bold. poetic purposes. Stylistics concerns with
Capital letters are used at the such field of study.
beginning of a sentence, for names of Leech (1989:1) defines stylistics as
people, places, and rivers; for nations "the study of literary style or the study
and adjectives of nationality, for names of the use of language in literature, the
of days, months, festivals and historical language of a particular writer, a
eras, for titles of people and names of particular period , a particular genre,
things and for titles of books, plays, even a particular poem". One can
works, of art. Quirk et al (1985: 1079) conclude from the above definition that
remark that capitals are used to literature cannot be examined apart
"indicate spoken prominence for the from language, that is to say, a literary
words so specified." work cannot be properly understood
Asterisks are commonly used to show without a thorough knowledge of
something interesting or important that language, which is its medium of
is later explained in a footnote. expression. Roberts(1990:3) asserts this
The slash (/), also called a „virgule‟ or idea by saying that "poetry is primarily
„solidus‟, is a diagonal line that an exploration of possibilities of
separates or joins words in special language".
circumstances. It is used to separate Verdonk (2002:5) shows that
quoted lines of poetry, i.e.to divide one stylistics is the study of language in
line from the next. literature and it seeks to account for
After surveying the conventional interpretation effects of a text through
uses of the punctuation marks, let us close study of its linguistic detail, such
deal with their deviated use which may as syntactic structuring, semantic
convey various meanings or deviation, deixis, modality, etc. the term
interpretations. stylistics is also sometimes used to

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Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
describe critically reflexive many modern poets break many of
development of linguistic tools through these rules. Saleem (2012:408) reveals
literary application(usually called that the twentieth century literature
linguistic stylistics),or the use of under the effect of various powerful
linguistic tools to analyse literary or influences grows mature and turns
poetic features within naturally experimental, self- defining in
occurring language. character. The expansion of knowledge
Carter and Stekwell(2008:10) caused the intellectual minds of the
explain that the aim of stylistics is to literary writers like Ezra Pound, T.S.
provide a less subjective, and Eliot make the sphere of literature
retrievable account of interpretation elastic, open and flexible both in formal
and to show the effective effect of structure and themes. Under the
literary texts through a more textually influence of the new artistic material,
sensitive, syntactic and socio- some poets make new experiments in
linguistically informed analysis of their their poetic discourse that is enviable
linguistic feature. and a source of inspiration for others.
It is important to add that the One of these artistic experiments is
linguistic analysis of the literary text the graphological deviation which
can help the reader to discover the stands for the violation of the system of
poetic meaning and effect of linguistic writing: ‟‟discarding of capital letter
structure. Sharma (2009:130) states and punctuation where conventions call
that "a linguistically oriented analytic for them, jumping of words, eccentric
approach can ensure the kind of use of parentheses,…. etc." (Leech,
motivation". 1989:47).
A good starting point for the Helms (1980:177) believes that
analysis of any literary text specifically punctuation, far from operating as a
a poem is to examine the foregrounded peripheral part of a poet‟s work, is
parts, written in poetic language, and central to our understanding of poetic
provide an interpretation which links meaning because of its ability to
them together. The language of poetry influence prosody. Punctuation is
is different from the language of other considered as a significant poetic device.
literary genres. Levin (1969:59) clarifies Moreover, Parkes(1992:4) and
that the language of poetry differs Levenston (1992:63-65) heighten the
drastically from ordinary discourse. In connection between punctuation and
poetry, a writer addresses himself to the creation of meaning embodied in the
writing a poem. This fact entails a text and how punctuation is used to
considerable number of variety of communicate particular interpretations
linguistic particularities. to the readers and provide additional
Before the twentieth century, there information not directly available from
were rules and conventions about the flow of speech.
writing poems. Usually, the poems were Breaking the rules of language or
quite neat and evenly shaped. However, deviating from the norm is looked down

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Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
upon and proscribed except for the deviation in literature as follows:
deviations in poetry. Javanovic strengthening mood, accentuating a
(1991:84) argues that understanding particular part of writing, attracting
deviations is like understanding readers‟ attention, and pursuing
figurative meaning; first you have to aesthetic value. Moreover, Saleem
know the literal meaning and only then (2012:410) reveals that the
can you hope to understand the graphological deviations used to be
figurative (metaphorical) one. What analysed not only because they fore-
this means is that one has first to ground the various parts of the
understand the rule, and only then the discourse but also they are devised to
meaning of breaking it. shed light on the various important
Previously, the researcher explains tensions and situations of life and
uses of punctuation marks and their personality of the persona (narrator) of
importance in writing, so it would be the poem. Consequently, it can be
easier to understand their deviated noticed that some poets write sentences
meaning in some poems. without full stop or successive clause as
Using unconventional or original lines in a poem without a semicolon and
language, the poet can give his readers sometimes they intentionally omit
unexpected surprise and make a strong punctuation marks. Williamson
impression on their minds. This kind of (1988:21) points out that sometimes
the creative use of language is called there is no punctuation mark at the end
„‟linguistic deviation‟‟. Leech (1989:37) of any of the lines; even the last line is
claims that there are kinds of linguistic without a full stop. Eliot, for example,
deviations in poetry: lexical, semantic, on purpose avoids sometimes the use of
phonological, morphological, syntactic, punctuation mark, but it does not mean
graphological, historical, the use of that the meaning of his poetry becomes
dialect, and the use of register. He confused because the succession of
connects linguistic deviation with a words is not random, but connected or
concept of foregrounded: related often in an obvious way. He goes
……anyone who wishes to investigate the on explaining that his punctuation is
significance and value of a work of must functional not conventional, for
concentrate on the element of interest and
instance the visible absence of the
surprise, rather than on the automatic pattern,
such deviations from linguistic or other comma and the question mark in T.S.
socially accepted norms have been given the Eliot‟s poem „‟ Ash-Wednesday,‟‟
special name of fore- grounding. The symbolizes the denial of the faith of the
foregrounding figure is the linguistic Christians in their private life, and the
deviation, and the background is the language. care of the reader that there should
Grice (1975:41) explains that have been the comma and the question
language deviation is a linguistic device mark which symbolize the affirmation
of purposeful violation of grammatical of faith in public. Gish (1981:68) reveals
rules and pragmatic regulations in that the absence of the full stop at two
language communication. He sums up places in Eliot‟s poem represents the
functions of applying language absence of common place practices of

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Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
the life of senses and the presence of end… used verbs, adverbs, and adjectives
intuition which has its own colors and as nouns."
orders. Moreover, among the various
Thus, it is clear that not only the punctuation marks none has been more
presence of punctuation marks affect explored, used, and abused by
the coherence of a text to a certain Cummings than parentheses.
extent but also their absence. Cummings is the unparalleled poet of
These graphological novelists are not parentheses and they are for him an
a common practice in everyday extraordinarily prized poetic device.
language. The poet may introduce these Lennard (1991)in a research traces the
abnormalities to foreground the history of using the parentheses; he
relevant textual portion and stir the shows that no poet, from Shakespeare
intended impressions. As examples of to Modernism, has used it more
the poets whose poems are decorated by thoroughly or more innovatively than
irregular punctuation, the researcher Cummings.
chooses E .E .Cummings, William Cummings‟ linguistic innovation
Blake, and Ezra Pound because their and typography serve poetic means
deviated use of some punctuation marks within his philosophy. Spencer
is clear and because it plays an essential (1946:120) is accurate when he writes
role in introducing their poems as that through his typography,
unique and effective. Cummings" wants to control the
E.E.Cummings reading of the poem as much as he can
Cuminngs‟ poetic reliance on so that to the reader as to the poet,
punctuation is unique in quality and there will be the smallest gap between
quantity, but it is also prototypical of the experience and its expression."
the role punctuation can play in poetry. Tratakovsby (2009:219) makes the
Mehata (2012:266-268) assures that crucial point that the parentheses used
Cummings‟ name is associated with in Cummings‟ poems can be divided
unconventional punctuation , into seven categories according to their
capitalization, and word displacement. functions within a poem:
Punctuation marks intrude irregularly. 1.Iconicity: Cummings has gotten benefit
Thus, typographical disarrangement is of the parentheses graphic shape. He
the characteristic of his writing to used it not only to suggest the moon but
convey his message more effectively. as a substitution for the word moon itself.
Among wide circles, Cummings is Webster (1995:124) finds two or more
best known as the poet who does not use iconic uses of the parentheses in
capital letters even his name is often Cummings poems: the edges of a pond
spelled in lower case letters. Marks and swooping shapes of birds. He also
(1964:94) states that "Cummings broke has used them (when they are empty) to
off lines in the middle of words; placed express an image of nothingness.
the first syllable of a word at the 2.Protection and intimacy: He attempts
beginning of a poem and at the last at the in some of his poems to convey a sense of

12 ‫م‬ 1023 ‫) سنة‬ 1 ، 2 ( ‫) العددان‬ 21 ( ‫ المجمد‬- ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية‬
Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
a need for protection. The parenthesized or even an entire poem. Levenston
material is so intimate, secretive, and (1992:63-65) writes ‘’simultaneity of
delicate that it is hard to imagine it said perception in time can best be
outside the protection afford by the represented by interpretation in space.’’
parentheses. Sometimes they are used to expose a
word within a word as when ‘’he’’ is
3.Direct address: The privileged space shown to be hiding in ‘’ where’’.
between parentheses is a textual that Actually, Cummings wrote many poems
Cummings often uses for purposes of in which he used the parentheses as
creating intimacy between his speaker effective poetic device but it is not
and another, by way of direct address. necessary to find all the categories in
4.Plural layers and Framed poems one poem, so the researcher chooses
Parentheses provide a dual status to the some of his short poems just to illustrate
material in them: It is part of the whole samples of the various functions of
text (it is on the same page and part of parentheses in his poetry.
the same poem) but also separate. The Cummings‟use of the parentheses in his
separation is not complete. They are used famous early poem ”O Sweet
to interlink two different sections of the Spontaneous”;for instance, shows
text, causing them to exist simultaneously protection and separation:
in isolation and in interaction. O Sweet spontaneous
5.Hetero-glossia and Interpolation earth how often have
the
Parentheses are often used by
doting
Cummings to echo epistemological fingers of
uncertainty. Perkins (1987:45) prurient philosophers pinched
distinguishes these cases: ‘’ parentheses and
may indicate an interpolated thought or poked
an utterance in different tone of voice or thee
,has the naughty thumb
by a different speaker.’’
of science prodded
6. Subverting Formal Expectations thy
In parentheses, Cummings finds a beauty .how
rich field to generate effects by playing often have religious taken
off the reader’s expectations. He thee upon their scraggy knees
foregrounds the parentheses typography, squeezing and
buffeting thee that thou mightiest conceive
uses them to enclose the most intimate
gods
material or no material at all, and inverts (but
them. true
7.Temporality, simultaneity, Tmesis to the incomparable
The parenthetical material suspends couch of death thy
the progression of the narrative in iconic rhythmic
lover
temporal correspondence to the
thou answerest
prolonged duration of the action. With them only with
Cummings, a single word is split and is spring)
interpolated by another word, fragment,

‫م‬ 1023 ‫) سنة‬ 1 ، 2 ( ‫) العددان‬ 21 ( ‫ المجمد‬- ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية‬ 13
Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
In this poem, the parentheses combine with From the previous discussion, It is
the conjunction but to distinguish between the clear to notice the important various
first part of the poem and its last part, as if to
functions of the parentheses used
protect the earth by way of separating it from
the rest of the poem. greatly by Cummings in his poems
A simple example of direct address which emphasize the effective role of
function can be found in the short poem punctuation in poetry in that it
"Of all things under our" indicates the poet‟s intentions and
Of all things under our makes his poetry not only have special
blonder than blondest star aspect but it also gives Cummings
The most mysterious poems special shape through its
(eliena, my dear)is this deviated use.
-how anyone so gay William Blake
Possibly could die Fuller (2012:2) points out that
Here the parentheses include only the among the unique eccentricities
three words: ‘eliena,my dear’. However, sometimes taken for punctuation which
it is found out at the end of the poem may be the result of careless etching or
that eliena is dead and this is an poor linking; Blake‟s colons are
apostrophe rather than a naive question included which merge into exclamation
addressed to someone .It is as if the marks, his full stops which merge into
speaker wishes to postpone as much as commas, his uncertain distinction
he can the reality of her death until the between lower case and capital letters,
very last word of the poem and not and his irregular spacing for all
before. punctuation marks. All these irregular
Sometimes Cummings uses parentheses forms may imply irregular meanings.
to expose a word within a word, as The irregular punctuation as one aspect
when „he’ is shown to be hiding in of the decorated character of Blake‟s
„where’ which is itself part of „nowhere’ script plays its part in adornment.
r Blake‟s punctuation has to be
olle understood in the context of his script
di
nt as a whole in a way that conventional
o typography simply cannot reproduce.
n Blake was often not careful about
o punctuation; most repeated lines are
w(he)re
Besides an iconic representation of the not punctuated in the same way in their
act of hiding ,surrounding ’he’ different appearances. The different
multiplies the possible readings and punctuation suggests that he was
opens the door for others: in addition to relatively indifferent about punctuation.
rolled into nowhere, also rolled into now, Some of his punctuations have been
into he, into here, into where. Here the carefully considered and expressive.
parentheses are a prized device to The common absence of punctuation at
achieve the controlled fragmentation in line endings, for example often means
the poem. that lines can be connected either

14 ‫م‬ 1023 ‫) سنة‬ 1 ، 2 ( ‫) العددان‬ 21 ( ‫ المجمد‬- ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية‬
Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
backwards or forwards. Blake‟s cleverly to present different meanings
punctuation is often not syntactic it has and to express his attitude towards
specific purpose ;i. e, it may be used to different topics he deals with in his
point the shapes that do not coincide poems.
with the lineation. Ezra Pound
Fuller (2012:6) explains that
Blake‟s most notable and potentially Most of Pound‟s poems are full of
misleading idiosyncrasy is his use of the deviated uses of the punctuation marks.
full stop, which commonly occurs in the The researcher chooses one of his
middle of grammatical units. It may famous poems ‟ In a station of the
sometimes be intended to mark internal Metro’ because the entire poem is two
rhyme. The presence of the syntactically lines long:
redundant comma in the following lines The apparition of these faces in
by Blake implies that „‟ down‟‟ is a the crowd;
noun parallel to „‟ crown‟‟ rather than Petals on a wet, black bough
as an adverb modifying “Flow‟d‟‟ Semicolons can be crucial
On his head a crown punctuation marks in creative writing
On his shoulder down and this is demonstrated clearly in this
Flow’d his golden hair. poem. The semicolon in this poem has
(The title is „‟ Girl Found‟‟) been a hot topic for debate because
On the other hand, Blake in people wonder whether the semicolon is
another poem " The Little Blake Boy" making the last line secondary to the
does not use a comma where it is one before it or if the semicolon is
syntactically expected between two simply connecting two equal ideas.
parallel phrases " comfort in morning It is considered as the most famous
joy in the noon day" momentarily of imagist‟s poems which yields a
confuses about the function of surprising variety of readings. Elis
„morning‟, which can be mistaken for (1988:7) states that readings are
an adjective modifying „joy‟. The influenced to an extent by the frequent
competent reader readily negotiates changes Pound made to the punctuation
these oddities. „‟The Little Blake Boy‟‟ of the poem in the early years of its
Look on the rising sun; there God does existence. The differently-punctuated
live early versions are interchangeable. It is
And gives his light, and gives his heat true that changes made by Pound to
away. the poem are small, but they remain far
And flowers and trees and beasts and from unimportant. The earliest printing
men receive of „‟ In a station of the Metro‟‟ in April
Comfort in morning joy in the noonday. of 1913 was spaced and punctuated as
There may be all sorts of meanings this:
in Blake‟s punctuation according to the The apparition of these faces in
reader's understanding. The bottom the crowd
line of what is mentioned previously; Petals on a wet, black bough.
Blake uses the punctuation marks

‫م‬ 1023 ‫) سنة‬ 1 ، 2 ( ‫) العددان‬ 21 ( ‫ المجمد‬- ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية‬ 15
Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation
Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
The same version had been published clear in Pound‟s poem; he states that
on June 1913 as: Pound shrinks the poem from thirty
The apparition of these faces in lines to a single sentence. The poem
the crowd: turns radically on the twist everything
Petals on a wet, black bough. around and back on itself, structurally
These lines were reproduced with a coming us to read the apparitional faces
comma after "petals" in 1914. The as an image or sign, a simile (faces like
comma represents Pound‟s wish to petals) or symbol(petals of faces). „‟The
retain the suggestion of the prominence image is itself the speech‟‟, Pound
of the word "petals" which the original insists. The image is the word beyond
spacing, by isolating the word, had formulated language.
given to it. In 1915 Pound felt that the By the previous brief discussion of
poem‟s final line contains a consistent the long debate about Pound‟s short
rather than contradictory image of the poem, the researcher adds another
beauty of his Parisian experience, and example which shows how punctuation
that there is no need to safeguard plays an important role in expressing
„petals‟ through increasing the distance different meanings or various intentions
between it and the following adjectives. of the poet by the changeable use of the
So, by September 1916, the poem punctuation marks from semicolon or
retained the semicolon instead of the comma to colon . Thus, punctuation
colon. The colon tends to subordinate marks should be studied within variety
the first line to the second by indicating of theoretical and descriptive frame
that the first line was incomplete, its works because of their discoursive and
function being primarily that of expressive role in writing.
introducing the ‟ image‟ in line two Conclusion
which the colon informs us is necessary To conclude, it is expedient to
to complete the first line‟s meaning. sum up the following remarks:
Barbarese (1993:11) clarifies that 1.Speakers may use their voice tone,
Pound writes to Harriet Monroe, „‟ I facial expressions or gestures to indicate
was careful, I think, to indicate spaces power, exclamations,… etc. However,
between the rhythmic units, and I want they use punctuation marks to do so in
them observed.‟‟ Pound admits that he writing. They can be classified into
became modernist homiletic, where he different types: end punctuation marks,
recounts his creation to getting off the non–end punctuation marks, enclosing
pairs train one day in 1912 and stepping punctuation marks, and punctuation
into the steaming crowd of „‟ beautiful marks used within the words. Each one
„‟ faces. The emotion, he goes on to has its own job to do; their use affects
explain, required over a year to the coherence of the text. They are
discover its proper verbal shape. important in cueing the correct
Genders (2001:14) reveals that the interpretation for many texts. The
imagist‟s poem derives its power from specific use of certain punctuation
its resistance to languages and this is marks may refer to the character and

16 ‫م‬ 1023 ‫) سنة‬ 1 ، 2 ( ‫) العددان‬ 21 ( ‫ المجمد‬- ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية‬
Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks
in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
show many other features of the writer. (234-227).
In return, they may present different Carter, R.A. and Stekwell,
interpretation to the reader. Thus, R.(ed.)(2008). The Language and
punctuation marks should be shed Literature Reader.London:Routledge.
sufficient light upon. Chafe,V.(1987)„‟Cognitive
2.Punctuation marks are used by poets constraints on information flow‟‟. In
as a poetic device to express their R.S.Tomling (Ed.), Coherence and
attitudes and they have given their grounding in discourse. Amsterdam:
poems specific colour and flavour. The John Benjamens.
excessive use of the violations of some of
the punctuation marks serves to do Dale,R.(1991)‟‟The Role of
many functions as it is shown in Punctuation in Discourse Structure‟‟.
Cummings‟ use of the parentheses and In proceedings of the AAAI Fall
the special use of some punctuation symposium on Discourse Structure in
marks such as the semicolon or the Natural Language Understanding and
colon by Blake and Pound. These poets Generation
have relied greatly upon punctuation to Elis, Steve (1988)‟‟ The
convey deep and crucial meanings. Punctuation of „ In a Station of the
They have used the graphological Metro‟ „‟ in Paidenma 17: 2-3.
deviation to make the reader try to seek Ferreiro, E. and Pontecorvo,
the intended interpretation to their C.(1999). „‟Meaning the Written text:
lines. the beginning of punctuation in
3. The research emphasizes the Children‟s writing‟‟. Learning and
importance of stylistics in appreciating Instruction,9(4).
the use of language in literature, for Fuller, David (2012) „‟Editing and
great deal of literary work may not be Reading Blake Modernizing Blake‟s
understood without a good knowledge Text: Syntax, Rhythm, Rhetoric‟‟.
of language which is its tool to explain. Durham University.
This is enhanced in this research, for if Genders ,R(2001).Races and
one does not realize the importance of Religious Cultures in Modern American
punctuation and its function in writing, Poetry. Cambridge : Cambridge UP.
he will not have the capacity to grasp Gish, N. (1981) Time in the poetry of
the meaning of their deviation in T.S.Eliot: A Study in structure and
poetry. theme. London: The Macmillan Press
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Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study
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18 ‫م‬ 1023 ‫) سنة‬ 1 ، 2 ( ‫) العددان‬ 21 ( ‫ المجمد‬- ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية‬
‫‪Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks‬‬
‫‪in Poetry: A Stylistic Study‬‬
‫الخالصة‬
‫المغة هي أداة قوية يستخدمها الشاعر ‪.‬‬
‫عالمات الترقيم التي هي رموز تستخدم لتوضيح معنى‬
‫الكاتب ‪ ،‬هي األداة التي يمكن بوساطتها التكمم مع‬
‫القارئ وجذب انتباهه عمى نقاط معينة ‪ .‬عالمات‬
‫الترقيم مهمة من ناحية التركيب والمعنى ألن كل واحدة‬
‫منها لها استعمالها ومعناها الخاص بها ‪ .‬استعمالها‬
‫الغريب او غير المتعارف عميه من قبل بعض الشعراء‬
‫امثال « كمنجز » ‪ « ،‬بميك » ‪ « ،‬باوند » ساعدهم‬
‫في إعطاء صبغة خاصة لشعرهم وخدمهم في إيصال‬
‫معان مختمفة ‪ .‬بطبيعة الحال ‪ ،‬عمم األسموب هو العمم‬
‫الذي من خالله يمكن التعامل مع استعمال المغة في‬
‫األدب‪.‬‬

‫م‬ ‫‪1023‬‬ ‫) سنة‬ ‫‪1‬‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫‪2‬‬ ‫) العددان (‬ ‫‪21‬‬ ‫مجمة القادسية في اآلداب والعموم التربوية ‪ -‬المجمد (‬ ‫‪19‬‬