Let’s Clean It Up

Poets should use proper English to become more readable. It is appalling when aspiring writers clearly don't care much about the rules of grammar, punctuation, and usage.

Don’t use who’s for whose.

And expect to be perused.

To keep contractions alive,

Poets mustn’t compromise.

Never write fast and loose.

Show us you have the juice.

Don’t say their when there

Goes the usage elsewhere.

We poets owe soul and grit

To the grammarians. To wit:

We harvest sweetest fruits.

The words of erudite snoot

Are kept graceful, aesthetic,

Astute, witty, and prophetic.

No one pays 3-cent dimes

To buy into literary crimes.

Opt for polished opulence

Over cluttered mutterance.

Truth gets lost in thought

When text is error-fraught.

It doesn’t necessarily follow

When logic hard to swallow.

We never paint a swan red

Or dash spices on stale bread.

So, why injure the elegance

Of King’s English eloquence?

With grammar, be effusive

And stylishness conducive.

Don't bore piggy and goosie

With grace of Dior or Gucci.

Let's play blues with Belushi.

Author's Note

Anyone can write whatever and however they like. Still, I think poets should let a certain pride show in their product. It is hard to generate a head of esteem for written works that ignore basic rules of language arts.

Reviews

[Delmar Cooper]

Keep on writing! You have the makings of a great poet, perhaps the next Baxter Black. Pay no attention to the big fish small pond phenomenon that is a pure canard spread by the jealous and unilluminated to discourage the youngsters like yourself.

[barleygirl]

Even tho I fully believe that most will tune out the core message here, I love that you at least broached it & found many good examples stated in a playful way. Your message doesn't sound like haranguing at all. Some people write pieces like this, but too frustrated & judgmental, it comes out sounding harsh. Here you're just making light of the situation, but backing it up with strong evidence! *smile* Fondly, Margie

[bigfootprint]

Finally, thanks Margie. You get it. Not trying to preach so much as inspire, but most such efforts fall on deaf ears.

[dead letter office]

fun write and good points all, nice flow and rhyme

[...]

At my personal opinion poetry don'the have it rules. When you put boundaries and say this right and this is not.
You create prison of creation. I find funny how people here became judges and only right ones. Grammar is pattern what we follow without questioning why. So etimes is good to broke old structure and create new ones. I am not here to became popular. I am here to bring more diversity.

[bigfootprint]

You misunderstand me. When you write for yourself, you should write any way you wish. I commend you for your enthusiasm. I suggested that when others read uncorrected works, they will say this person doesn't have very good command of the language, and so why should I believe anythimg he say. Bad grammar and syntax reflects badly on the content. Best sellers do not become best sellers until the usage, grammar, structure, and confusion have been edited out.

[...]

that's why we got it publisher editors. Sorry for missunderstood . I was lately on this web sites see so many critics who tried to pointing out just mistakes. So many great writers don't have it pefect grammars. We should more try understandt what we do dont understandt. Form is important but not so important like what are you trying to say. Mistakes are not signed of weakness but they show we are not afraid of them. We are more affraid from precisions and perfections. Beside when you give someone to review. You should keeping at mind. Everyone have diffirent progress at learning and undestanding of rules. For example people with Dyslaxia are not able to learn grammar in full meaning etc. Thank you for response cause my experience on this site is when I say something oposite what poet wrote. Ussualy they don't response.

[bigfootprint]

Actually, as I discovered lately, a publisher no longer looks at manuscripts unless you are already a best seller. If a writer doesn't edit his own manuscript, he must pay someone else to do it, and the price starts at about $5,000 for normal copy. If you want your book to be a best seller, you might have to pay 10 times that much. When you are paying a publisher $4,000 just for production and distribution. yYu must provide clean copy or it gets published with all the errors still in it.

[raj24]

I am quite new to all this and certainly commits the mistakes that you rightly pointed. I do agree we as poets should ensure the one who is reading it should not feel sorry for the mistakes we committed. Thanks for such wonderful write up. I checked your about me section, its an honour to you sir. Stay healthy and keep smiling.
Raj

[sette]

guilty on some accounts, dislike editing my own writings for errors... have been too impulsive to write and thanks for these pointers my friend appreciate it a lot

[bigfootprint]

Thanks, Sette. Yes the write is easy but the right is difficult. It was a real strain editing my own book. I have been hesitant to look at it too closely. Knowing good grammar doesn't fix all the problems. It you topic is interesting and your presentation solid, it is OK. I copy edited newspaper copy for decades. It is tough, and everyone sees your mistakes.

[bigfootprint]

Thanks Delmar, Kind words to an old man -- worth the nickel if I had one. I know about phenomenons, but never been accused of being one. But I have found we all achieve greatness sometimes, in word or deed. It is the moment that defines -- and then its gone.