What's the Difference Between Poetry and Prose?

Poetry and Prose are quite different. The dictionary's thought on these two matters are as follows: Poetry: n. rhythmical composition embodying beautiful or elevated thoughts. Prose: n. ordinary language, not versed. In more practical understanding, poetry is the fluid, rhythmic, and rhymn in the world. The "beautiful language". Prose is what makes a writer and author. Prose is what's written up in newspapers. Prose is the columns in a magazine. Prose is a written form of what you speak. Hope that broke it down for you. =)

Hi Gtar prose is long and story-like, unrhyming. Poems have a shorter format

basically prose is anything that is not poetry, some will say it is ordinary written language

Poetry would be more in a stanza form like writing a song or sonnet. Prose is more free flow writing like in a magazine. Hope that helps.

I can understand your confusion because some writing sites use the prose category for stories as well as for poetry. In short, prose is a language that is not poetry and an ordinary style of expression. Could be a story. Poetry is literature in verse.

I don't know the difference. The only thing that I do know is I like to write and I don't know the style.

Poetry is poetry, and prose is everything else. I am writing prose right now, by responding to this discussion. Prose is simply the written word that has not been organized into a form of poetry.

Dont qoute me but I think poetry rhyms and prose doesnt

Prose is pretty much any writing that isn't poetry.

Hello my friend gtargirl Ji, At blunt way, prose is defined as text in any language,whereas poetry excites all senses, sad and happiness. It takes you to natural world. People feelhappyand also during sad mood they remember and sing. There is absolutely no feel oflyric in prose. It has nil feelings. It is an abstarct feeling. It is like throwing stone. Wishing you a very happy New Year-2010. May God bless You and have a great time.

In the modern academic/literary world, the definition of "poetry" has been loosened or, in my opinion, outright ignored to include prose that is simply, arbitrarily divided into convenient lines and/or verses in order to be classified as "poetry". There seems to be an aversion to admit to poetic prose as being basically imaginatively descriptive prose at all, but rather to insist upon it being called "poetry". The classification of "prose poetry" is commonly used to describe a work that is in no particular line, verse or structural form at all (other than basic grammatical form), but is engaging and imaginative, emphatic or emotional, rather than simply referring to it as poetic prose. Poetry uses rhyme, rhythm (meter) and/or structure to: (1)convey an impression and depth of experience beyond the words themselves, such as the rhythm of the words mimicking a galloping horse in a poem about a horseback escape, or a poem about an unnamed emotion, with the lines of the work composed into the shape of a heart; (2) capture deeper attention by achieving a reader’s engagement that allows the poem to penetrate his "outer shell" in order to be taken more personally, and to make itself more memorable or pleasing so the words inspire more contemplation then or at a later idle moment; (3)to bring a sense of continuity to a work or a group of works to indicate their link to one another, or the opposite effect, as in a different meter used for different characters in the poem. These examples are by no means exclusive nor exhaustive, but simply show ways true poetry uses the written word, as opposed to the way prose is written. Prose is generally devoid of rhyme, meter and line/versed structure, although it may occasionally employ any one of these elements to achieve some particular effect, much, and as rarely, as one would in common conversation, such as rhyming a word with someone's name to describe or clarify, as in "Stormin' Norman". These three elements are not used consistently within prose as is "required" (by my definition) by poetry. Imagery is often confused as being a requirement or the sole domain of poetry, which may be one of the main reasons for the gradual blurring of distinction between prose and poetry within the last hundred-plus years. Poetry is often picturesque and descriptive in nature, with analogy and simile playing large roles, but this can also be well represented in prose, resulting in a beautiful, engrossing read- but does that make it poetry? No. It simply makes it well written, beautiful and compelling prose. With all this being said, in the interest of the active student within the current educational system, let me give this advice: poetry is whatever your instructor says it is; if you disagree, your instructor may be open to friendly debate, but be sure to evaluate the powers that be carefully- your instructor may be a writer who considers him/herself a poet.