Weekend Writer: Writing Prose Poetry, Are You?

Well, it looks as if I'm doing a poetry arc for the Weekend Writer this month, what with it being National Poetry Month and all. Since I have a small interest in prose poetry, that's what this installment is about.

 

Tell Us Gail, What Is A Prose Poem?

These are my own probably not very reliable thoughts on the subject--You know how creative (or narrative) nonfiction is nonfiction that uses elements of fiction to communicate fact? Okay, well, prose poetry is prose that uses poetic elements--say, imagery, metaphor, repetition--to communicate the kinds of emotion or intensity we usually associate with poetry. A hybrid, so to speak.

But if you're smart, you won't take it from me. Check out:

• Prose Poem at Poets.org
• The Poet's Revolt: A Brief Guide to the Prose Poem by Danielle Mitchell at diyMFA 
• Prose Poem or Flash Fiction--What's the Difference? by Jessica Terson at Trish Hopkinson--A Selfish Poet
  

I am very new to reading prose poetry. To date, my favorite is How to Make Boxed Shells: 8 Easy Steps by Brenda Nicholas at Unbroken.

And Now For Something That's Not About Prose Poetry

School Library Journal has a list of 2021's children's books of poetry and about poetry. Presumably these are just the books published so far this year.