You have probably been taught that a sentence needs to be a complete thought with both a subject and a verb. Indeed, this convention of language is an important one. However, as you get older and your writing skills improve, you learn that fragments and run-ons may be more effective in conveying the feelings and emotions of characters in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
The poem below, by Carl Sandburg, illustrates how poets use unconventional variations in sentence structure to enhance the meaning and effect of their work. As you read the poem, pay attention to the structure of the sentences and the way line breaks affect your feelings as you read.
Buffalo Dusk
The buffaloes are gone.
And those who saw the buffaloes are gone.
Those who saw the buffaloes by thousands
and how they pawed the prairie sod into
dust with their hoofs, their great heads
down pawing on in a great pageant of dusk,
Those who saw the buffaloes are gone.
And the buffaloes are gone.
What do you notice about the length of the lines in the poem? While the first line is the shortest line in the poem, it is not a sentence fragment. The second and last lines begin with a conjunction (and). The lines in the middle of the poem are part of one long, run-on sentence that creates a confusing, disorienting effect that could be associated with great sadness or grief.
Question
Overall, what role does sentence structure play in conveying the meaning of "Buffalo Dusk"?
Answer
The short lines express the simple finality of the situation--the wild buffaloes are gone, and everyone who got to see them is gone. (In other words, they've been gone a long time.) The lines in the middle form a run-on sentence that "breathlessly" describes the beauty that was lost when the buffalo herds were killed. Because readers don't get to stop and take a breath during that long sentence, the sentence creates a panicked or grief-stricken effect.
