[With apologies to Dylan Thomas, though I could argue that this is all about not going gentle into that goodnight]
Do not go punctuating on a lark,
Apostrophes don’t work just any way;
Rage, rage against abusing of the mark.
Though writers in their prose seem in the dark,
Because in school had learned no lesson they
Do not go punctuating on a lark,
Good souls, at “childrens” use, can’t help remark
Their red pens set to bleed into the fray,
Rage, rage against abusing of the mark.
Lost souls who will deny as “your’s” the spark,
And learn, too late, “yours” is the only way,
Do not go punctuating on a lark,
Poor souls, unlearned, will make the errors stark
Blank minds write “cant” not “can’t” for how they play,
Rage, rage against abusing of the mark.
And you, sad plural, there with added mark,
Curse! Tell us not “enjoy the egg’s,” we pray.
Do not go punctuating on a lark,
Rage, rage against abusing of the mark.
William says
March 3, 2009 at 1:20 pmSo what, I would imagine that they got their point across with whom they wanted it too cross.
If you really want to make a statement, how about doing something about Illegal Immigration into this country?
Katie says
March 21, 2009 at 7:43 pmI’m writing an article for a magazine prototype about language and grammar blogs and stumbled across this poem by way of Apostrophe Abuse. I was wondering if I could get your permission to reprint it. I would give you credit and mention your site’s URL. Please email your reply. Thanks!
Barney says
August 12, 2009 at 7:35 amJust William sounding off at a tangent. Wullie, if a blogger wants to comment on immigration (an important subject, indeed) then she/he will do so on a blog that at least in some slight way has a connection with immigration. Focus, young William (for I am sure you are young), focus and then you may just possibly achieve something for a good cause close to your heart. Lack focus and you risk ending up as an ineffective would-be reformer. Believe me – I have been there.