Dear Emily Dickinson,

Reading your poetry has inspired me to write some of my own. In particular, I've noticed your proclivity for using a certain punctuation mark in your work. Please enjoy:

More Dashes

This verse that I’ve written--

It’s less than amazing--

It flows far too freely

It doesn’t detach.

I know the solution--

The best interrupter--

This poem is sorely in need of a dash

O glorious dash-- multifarious dash!

It’ll dash any hope of a coherent line-

It staggers--  it stutters--

The perfect line-cutters

Why have one complete thought

When you can have nine?

The typical poet-- he slashes those dashes

He thinks the dash clashes

With rhythm and rhyme.

Me-- I love the dash-- and

I think when it’s rationed

We all lose that feeling

Of stammering time

O glorious dash-- luminarious dash!

It’ll dash to the rescue at any old sign

Of a verse that’s too fluid--

One dash-- and it’s ruined!

Why have one complete thought

When you can have nine?

Sincerely,

Ben Connor