I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry; that is, prose = words in their best order; poetry = the best words in their best order.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Prose is about ordering words well for clarity, while poetry is about choosing the best words and ordering them. It distinguishes the goals of each medium.
- In plain terms
- Prose orders words well; poetry chooses the best words and orders them.
- What can you take from it?
- Clarity matters for prose; word choice and order matter for poetry.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines good prose?
- How do you choose words?
Another view
Poetry can also rely heavily on word order just like prose.
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