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Introduction to Poetry | | |
 Commentary - The Punctuation of the
Poem
Noon and a hazy heat;
a single silver sliver and a dull drone;
the gloved finger poised, pressed:
a second's silence and
oblivion.
The first thing to notice about this poem is that is is composed as one complete sentence, though broken
into different sections by the
punctuation used. The first line sets the scene for the action - paints in the background - and the
semi colon marks the end of this short line
and this section of the action. The second line then focuses in on two particular details one visual
and one sound linked by the 'and' and
closed off again by the second use of the semi-colon. In line three the perspective shifts once again.
Here we have a close-up of some
precise action being carried out. The comma between 'poised' and 'pressed' suggests how deliberate this
action is. But this time the line
ends with a colon. The action is set in motion and the rest of the poem, in a few words, describes the
result of that action.This is the way the
punctuation appears in published versions of the poem and as with everything else about it what we see
here is the result of very careful and
deliberate choice by the poet.
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