How to Write a Prose Poem

The prose poem walks a thin line between poetry and prose. It became popular with poets like Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde and Robert Bly because it offered freedom from structure and form. Prose poetry does not use poetic meter, rhyme, line breaks or stanzas. But it does retain the repetition, language and imagery of poetry. Unlike prose, the prose poem is not as concerned with plot or narrative and its point of view is more reflective and turned inward. The prose poem can be a paragraph, three paragraphs, a page or many pages.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Know that you won’t have to worry about rules of form. Rhyme schemes, meter, stanza and line breaks don’t apply.

2. Consider the structure of prose. Prose poems take the shape of paragraphs and contain sentences and sentences fragments.

3. Think about a time where you were struck by a particular image, how you came upon that image, how that image made you feel and what went through your mind when you saw it.

4. Write about that experience. Pay particular attention to describing the image and your emotions in detail. Use poetic devices like consonance, assonance, simile, metaphor, repetition and symbol. You can tell a story in your poem, but it comes second to the language (or how you tell the story).

5. Don’t worry about correct punctuation right now. You may be writing a prose poem, but you still want to keep the effects of poetry. Sometimes correct punctuation can hurt the rhythm you’ve established. Your prose poem can contain sentence fragments and very long sentences.

6. Read over your prose poem. Take note of the language you’ve used. See if you can add more detail. Take note of the story or the thoughts you’ve expressed. See if anything needs to be added or revised.

7. See if you have an epiphany. Not all poems need epiphanies, but some really benefit from them. See if the poem’s train of thought naturally leads to an epiphany or a closing thought or image to leave with the reader.

Tips & Warnings

• See “The Prose Poem” under resources for examples of prose poetry.

Resources

• “The Prose Poem” specializes in publishing prose poetry
• A discussion of what prose poetry is

[grouch]

on 12/16/2007 I would like to think there is a poem for everyone. This one would be for me for sure, breaking all the rules and running... running on...as my mind does.