poetry

[ladywoman]

I posted this on Arts and Lit but will chat to you lot instead!
I was listening to a discussion on the radio today about poetry. As far as I can see a poem is only poetry when it rhymes, otherwise its just prose. So can someone please tell me when does a piece of prose become a poem because I just dont get it .Thanks all

[MangoPete]

Poetry doesn't have to rhyme.
Guess it depends which school you hang with

[RATTER15]

po‧et‧ry  /ˈpoʊɪtri/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[poh-i-tree] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

�noun 1. the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.
2. literary work in metrical form; verse.
3. prose with poetic qualities.
4. poetic qualities however manifested: the poetry of simple acts and things.
5. poetic spirit or feeling: The pianist played the prelude with poetry.
6. something suggestive of or likened to poetry: the pure poetry of a beautiful view on a clear day.

[Scarlett]

Prose is writing distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to the patterns of everyday speech. The word prose comes from the Latin prosa, meaning straightforward. This describes the type of writing that prose embodies, unadorned with obvious stylistic devices. Prose writing is usually adopted for the description of facts or the discussion of ideas. Thus, it may be used for newspapers, magazines, novels, encyclopedias, screenplays, films, philosophy, letters, essays, history, biography and many other forms of media.

Prose generally lacks the formal structure of meter or rhyme that is often found in poetry. Although some works of prose may happen to contain traces of metrical structure or versification, a conscious blend of the two forms of literature is known as a prose poem. Similarly, poetry with less of the common rules and limitations of verse is known as free verse. Poetry is considered to be artificially developed ("The best words in the best order"), whereas prose is thought to be less constructed and more reflective of ordinary speech.

[RATTER15]

At least mine was in English, so what if I did cut and paste!!

[ladywoman]

Sorry Scarlett - youve lost me there. Was that a piece of prose or a poem?

When I hear people reading poetry that doesnt rhyme it just sounds as if they are reading a passage from a book. I know that probably makes me thick, but I still dont get it

[oldwoman]

If it stirs my soul I`m not bothered which it is.

[ladywoman]

Exactly Ratter - "the art of rhythmical composition"

[ladywoman]

I still say if it doesnt rhyme it isnt a poem!

[RATTER15]

It was on the bridge at midnight, disturbing my sweet repose, for it was a large mosquito, and the bridge was the bridge of my nose.

Now that is poetry!!

[ladywoman]

definitely, Ratter!

[Scarlett]

That was the Wikipedia definition, Ladywoman!! It is saying that prose resembles the patterns of everyday speech- in that it is not written in a "poetic" way. Poems may use repetition, rhythm, space etc. Poems use the words more creatively. Prose is more straightforward. So I could write a non-rhyming poem called "My toe" like this:

My Toe
As small as it may be
It is still
a part of me
But if it came away
If it fell apart
If...

I would miss my toe
although
It is all bent
it is part of me.
My toe.

Yes, it's crap and pretentious, but it doesn't rhyme and it is definitely a poem!