What Is Poetry?

I have often been asked “What is Poetry?”, especially when I have written a poem that doesn’t rhyme. “Why is this poetry and not prose?” is the question asked. My answer is that poetry is using the least words to say the most.

I love writing poetry and I write both rhyming and non-rhyming poetry but most of it is just for myself and so will never see the light of day.

In my lessons in the Resource Centre at school this week we are looking at the work of Steven Herrick and other Australian authors who have published verse novels. Steven’s Youtube clips of him reading and reciting his poetry are great entertainment, especially”10 Things Your parents Will Never Tell You.”

Lorraine Marwood’s “Ratwhiskers and Me” is a great verse novel set in early Australia on the Victorian goldfields.

I would like to have a go at writing a verse novel as I think it would be fun, paring back the words to the bare minimum.

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