I completely agree. It's so enthralling to read a title in another language, at least for me, and to then find the translation and see how well it fits to the piece. It is only fair to allow this small concession to writers who speak other languages, for in a piece like this the title can contribute so much to the meaning, and a title in a different language can sometimes aid in the understanding of the meaning of the piece because it lets you see to some degree where the author is coming from. I found this poem quite enchanting; it is so concise and graceful, and seems to carry a great meaning that is rather unidentifiable, even though the tone and apparent subject are really so light and leisurely. I do love the idea of cloud-birds that get out of control when the cats are not around!

I am always in awe of this author because her command of language (whichever one she chooses to write in, it seems), rhythm, and message are so great and skillful. The poetry is beautiful. It seems so professional, like it should be in a published anthology or something.

I felt that your message in this poem was very clear. Maybe that's because I feel the same way; I am impatiently waiting for spring to replace winter. The critique that asked you for an explanation of your poem was out of line. Poetry should stand alone, with no explanations neccesary, especially poetry as strong as yours. Each reader should be able to interpret the poem as the writer wrote it, but with their own background and life, so that they can put the message in a context that applies to them personally and ponder the meaning.

Happy writing and happy pondering!

I think that poetry can be punctuated or not, it's largely up to the choice and style of the poet.  I often punctuate my poetry because I want to create a sense of pause or have the poem sound a certain way.  But sometimes I don't.  The thing about punctuation in poetry is that it can be used outside its traditional rules.

And I really like the last line about the sky being in need of cats.  It adds a certain whimsy that would have been lost if you had chosen something more grounded.

I don't think that's true at all. Part of the essence of punctuation is that there is not just one way to read it. Commas generally indicate a breath, but they rarely indicate whether the emphasized words fall before or after them. That is either decided by the strength of the writer's language (as you have mentioned occurs here; the words I think take the emphasis because of their repetition) or the reader's perspective.

I understand that you may have thought adding punctuation eliminated the "poetry" of the writing, because I took out the line breaks in order to demonstrate how to punctuate correctly. But after correct punctuation is inserted, line breaks are added back in and if the author feels that a looser style is called for, these breaks can be added in such a way that contrasts with the punctuation in order to add some ambiguity to the way the lines are broken up. Most poetry is not simply a string or words. If we add no punctuation, it would be like music with no rhythm. A string of notes can be pretty, and punctuation-less poetry has its place, but there is only so much "train of endless thought" music (and poetry) a person can take.

Consider e. e. cummings. His lack of capitalization and periods was his signature, and that was at a time when that was pretty radical in poetry. That is his style, and for him that works. But even he understood the importance of commas and semicolons, along with line breaks, in establishing beautiful, flowing, readable, poetry.

i carry your heart with me

by e. e. cummings (first stanza only)

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear

Most current-day poets rely too heavily on not using the mechanics of grammar, almost as if they believe it makes them really "contemporary" or "advant-garde," but simply rejecting all punctuation for no real reason (some poetry may be suited to this, but most isn't) can sometimes be the mark of an immature poet. A truly revolutionary poet understands that mechanics are flexible, but that they are the means of establishing the whole feeling of a poem, and should only be disposed of under severe caution. After all, these things were used for hundreds of years for a reason.

The point I'm trying to get across is to not just throw punctuation out as "old fashioned." Play around with it and find how to use it in a way that suits your style and strengthens your thoughts. And have fun with it! (And thanks for listening to my rant!)

P. S. Oh great Slam Master, I would be extremely interested in hearing your thoughts on punctuating poetry, whether or not you agree with me.