Noncustodial parents and poetry: A look at circular causality and punctuation

Abstract

This brief report examines a metaphorical poem concerning the unpredictable yet cyclical emotional turmoil faced by many noncustodial parents (NCPs). Illustrating the principles of circular causality and punctuation through a repeating grammatical pattern, the poem emphasizes distinctions among the same five emotions based on their location in the cause–remedy–effect sequence of interactions between NCPs and their children. The device conveys the chaotic nature of such interactions and the need for vigilance to establish and sustain the relationship.