Poetic Obituaries: When I used too many commas,

Mr. [Tommy] Harper would interrupt the class to say, "Mr. Patterson, commas are like sex. When in doubt . . . leave it out."

We read dozens of books, explicated poetry, memorized vocabulary words, and we would write and write and write. Every time I write the phrase "to be sure" or hear the words "laconic," "obsequious" or "bombastic," or read a Robert Frost poem, I think of Mr. Harper.

from The Arizona Daily Star: English teacher made a profound difference

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