My time, flies.
My time flies.
My, time flies.
Depending on where you place the comma, what is being said changes.
Someone being bothered by those black-winged beasts while shooing them away and wanting peaceful stillness exclaims:
My time, flies! Leave me alone already!
Someone sensing their end of days, having walked this Earth for many years, would poetically state their feelings about time's steady advance:
My time took tiny steps,
Once upon a time
But now my time flies,
Swiftly away from me.
Someone else is waxing reflective, considering the passage of time from a near point, but one that's moving away nonetheless, and pauses to comment on the phenomenon. Imagine if you will, someone looking at their watch:
My, time flies.
And so, the placement of a comma speaks different tales to those who choose to read them.
A delightful book, that further explores the use of the comma and other punctuation, is titled Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. With numerous examples and witty explanations, learning the history about and use of punctuation can be fun.
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