[stylist] syntax question

[Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter]

What we call Inversion is actually how people use to speak, like back in the
1500's, so to write this way in 1939, it was not an unheard of thing.
Especially in poetry. Often, inversion is used to affect meter, in this
case, that line would not work well without the inversion. There's nothing
"new" about inversion and is quite common in poetry. An entire piece of
writing doesn't' have to use inversion and can just use it sparingly, as in
the case of this poem. It's really not unusual at all.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jennifer
Applegate via stylist
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 5:33 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Cc: Jennifer Applegate <jlastar at comcast.net>
Subject: [stylist] syntax question

Hello all,

The only sentence order that seems backwards in this poem is the question
Santa asks Rudolph. I'm wondering why there is so much normal syntax
(subject, verb, object sentence order) in this poem, which is supposed to be
classic (written in 1939).

 

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose. 

And if you ever saw him
you would even say it glows. 

All of the other reindeer
used to laugh and call him names. 
They never let poor Rudolph
join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won't you guide (my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer loved him
as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you'll go down in history!

 

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