The semicolon

What a strange thing is the semicolon.
~~Miss Roxie

What purpose does it have?
It really does nothing special,
A period can handle it's task,
So, why do we have it, you might ask?

Don't know,
Guess it's pretty and different
then the regular marks out there,
It's a mark of non committment
When you have something
you are not sure you want to end
You place a semicolon there
and so the next sentence can begin ...

or if things seem long and complicated
a semicolon says, 'whoa, I'll take this."

I try to use it now and then,
I like it,
It's cute
and kind of fun.

From a professional view from The Editing Tip

The semicolon ;

The semicolon has ONLY two uses in English punctuation:

• It is an end-of-sentence mark. The mark it resembles most closely is the period. Use it between two full sentences which are highly relevant to each other in meaning.
• Example: "The lamb does not bleat in deliberate imitation of the sheep-community into which it is born; it bleats as its genetic blueprint lays down for it." (B. M. H. Strang, A History of English, Methuen & Co., 1970, p. 5). (The reason for the lamb's bleating makes these two sentences relevant to each other.)
• A semicolon may be used within a list if the items in the list have commas inside them.
• Example: For a successful birdwatching expedition in the tropics, you will need the following: binoculars with 8- or 10-power magnification; an up-to date field guide, tailored to the region; clothing that provides good protection from sun, rain and insects, but which allows air to flow through; and strong insect repellent.