Punctuation. Punctuation! Punctuation?

Statements end in periods.
Abbreviations, too—e.g.
Need to show interrogation?
Aren’t those question marks the key?

Commas join “or,” “nor,” “for” clauses,
and they separate your lists.
Exclamation points add drama!
To interjections! Startling twists!

Hyphens link up compound numbers,
spelled-out fractions like one-third.
Parentheses are (often) useful
to de-emphasize (some) words.
Formal colons are too stilted
for your fiction use: steer clear.
Semi-colons bond two statements;
use one there, but skip one here.

If you’re showing something’s someone’s,
you must use apostrophes,
while quotation marks tell readers,
“I am speaking. Listen, please.”

Marks and squiggles clarify;
Dashes, dots elucidate.
Learn the rules, and rule your pages.
On your mark now: punctuate.