[R. Nemo Hill]

The word 'impervious' comes to mind.

Nemo

[Richard Epstein]

In conjunction with "obtuse."

RHE

[Michael Cantor]

So much for words - but how about punctuation marks? Does anybody have a favorite? Personally, I favor hyphens and em dashes - interspersed with the sexy little squiggles of semi-colons - over commas. When I complete a first draft, what I do is add up all the punctuation marks and divide by 14 (for a sonnet - 19 for a villanelle); apply a 1.0 factor for pentameter and .8 for tetrameter; and this provides a Lineal Punctuation Average, (LPA) which I can then compare to other successful poems by famous writers to see how I'm doing.

[John Whitworth]

re Bill Lantry. It may not have been what Michael said but it is sure as hell what Auden said.

[Ed Shacklee]

All of this helps to explain why my favorite maps have dragons and sea monsters at the edges.

Ed

[Carolyn Moore]

I have trouble picking a favorite rhyme scheme (many candidates); however, I think my least favorite should be evident in this title of a recent poem of mine, "The Dance Instructor Steels Himself for the Upcoming Class, or Why I Hate the Villanelle." Actually, it can't be the rhyme scheme I dislike, it has to be the form using it. I always liked villanelles in French, when I could read French easily. However, I find 98% of villanelles in English to creak with overt scaffolding. That 2%, however: lovely!

So I'm back to trying to isolate rhyme scheme from form. Hmm . . . I love lots of internal rhyme and prefer lots of enjambment to carry off end-rhyme. I guess I'm not answering the question except to waffle with a "it depends" response.

[Janice D. Soderling]

I guess I'm not answering the question except to waffle with a "it depends" response.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. We have a winner.

Carolyn has answered the Question of the Day CORRECTLY. Let's give her a big round of applause as she come up from the audience to our mike.

Now Carolyn, did you know or were you guessing, when you said "It depends"?

I wish we could give you a trip to Hawaii for that correct answer, but alas, like all those literary journals out there, we don't have any money. But what we can give you, and will give you, is a box of punctuation marks, and our eternal gratitude for bravely telling it like it is.

(Another round of applause for Carolyn, everybody. There she goes, isn't life wonderful........)

****************

Seriously folks. She's right.

[Mary McLean]

I'm more into sonics than rime. My favourite letters are W, T and F.

[dean peterson]

My favorite dog is the Newfoundland.

[Richard Epstein]

Holding hand in the movie show, when all the lights are low, may not be new, but I like it. How about you?

RHE