When did this turn into...

[Bob the Mediocre]

Good poetry isn't about rhyming, or going over everyone's head. Era, I've gotten that "squeeze your heart dry" feeling from both poetry and regular writing. (I do agree that prose isn't a lower form, or whatever)
Both techniques can be used equally incompatently, I think.

[East Coast Hustle]

...But there are authors in this world whose prose can reach into your chest like a fist and squeeze your heart dry.  There are times when prose is not only more effective than poetry, it says more, and is harder to say.  How to express in plain words the myriad concepts of the world that there is no one word for?  That's a gift - it's a gift that the author is born with, and a gift given to his readers, both.

Poetry - pffft.

Amen, Sister!!

that made me think of Cormac McCarthy...I'm gonna go read "Blood Meridian" again....

[saint bastard]

once again, you're all idiots and you're all wrong.

as am i.

[East Coast Hustle]

well, you're half right, anyway...

[Mangrove]

Poems that don't suck:

 Any good rap
 Poetry My Arse by Brendan Kennelly.
 Any Phillip Larkin with gratuitious profanity.
 Bob Dylan (pre & post born again suckiness...he may still have some mileage left on him)
Howl by Allen Ginsberg - kind of obvious choice I know...bite me.
Vogon poems - how could you not like 'Oh, Freddled gruntbuggly' as an opening line?
 Discordian Haiku


 Poems that suck: Pretty much everything else.

[EraPassing]

I like some poetry.  What the Bullet Sang by Bret Harte.  A lot of Neruda.  I like Lord Byron, too.
Well, when I think about it, really, the best poets are the dead ones.

[gnimbley]

Prose is an attempt to persuade you.
Poetry invokes an emotion.

Prose is an art history class.
Poetry paints a picture in your mind.

Prose is the force of intellect.
Poetry forces passion.

Prose is an evening spent alone with old friends.
Poetry suspends a moment in time.

Prose is words written on a page.
Poetry writes in your heart.

Prose is the telling of the story of life.
Poetry lives.

[EraPassing]

Anyone who thinks that prose is pedestrian had never read Tigana.

[Verthaine]

Sounds like a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap to me.

[agent compassion]

Poetry is like sex. When it's good, it's really good, but when it's bad, it's awful.

[Yahtomet]

Prose is an attempt to persuade you.
Poetry invokes an emotion.

Prose is an art history class.
Poetry paints a picture in your mind.

Prose is the force of intellect.
Poetry forces passion.

Prose is an evening spent alone with old friends.
Poetry suspends a moment in time.

Prose is words written on a page.
Poetry writes in your heart.

Prose is the telling of the story of life.
Poetry lives.

Prose and poetry are the same thing. One just has more linebreaks. One can write lyrical prose and another can write literal poetry. It's the same thing.

[Horab Fibslager]

i write psalms. fuck poetry and prose.

n00bs!

[St. Bastard (Anti-LogIn)]

you're all morans.

poetry is poetry; prose is prose.

if it's shitty it's shitty. form is not a measure of shittiness.

I can Hide In Devious Endevors that have every thought
retrained under theological humor...

but yank something here or wiggle in Nothingness,
greyface instantly takes form of rendering as logical
legislation, turning opinion sour; erroneous...enevitable.


i repeat, you're all morans.

[EraPassing]

Yeah, I had a post written in response to that, but it was undeniably rude.

I maintain my stance that prose is not a lesser form of expression than poetry.  I'll also add that I think poetry is easier to abuse than prose.

[Bob the Mediocre]

i repeat, you're all morans.

iryam?