The Power of the Comma

I say with all sincerity 

With no attempt at drama

It’s hard to overstate 

The power of the comma

 

It’s a small little mark

Almost a pencil scratch

But its effect on a sentence 

Is difficult to match

 

Take the sentence “Let’s eat, momma”

Nice and friendly, sounds like fun

Delete the comma, get “Let’s eat momma”

You flirt with Murder One 

 

Saw a magazine cover of a well-known Chef 

Said “She is inspired by cooking family and her dog”

Add a comma after “cooking” 

And the sentence moves along

 

Passed a road sign recently 

It said “Slow People Working”

Several ways to read that  

Need for a comma clearly lurking

 

Commas distill and clarify 

What the sentence is about

It’s meaning  totally changes

When you leave the comma out

 

I offer this final note

As a way to end

Try without the comma

“It’s all over, my friend” 

 

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