Exactly what is poetry?
I've heard all kinds of answers. Most people tell me poetry has rhyme and meter. Then I ask about free verse, and watch people's faces go a little blank. I've never been given a simple answer to this question. Perhaps because there really isn't a simple answer. So just what is poetry anyway? Simply put, poetry is the artistic expression of the language it's written in.There really isn't a simple answer. Poetry is the art of the written word, but there is more to it than that. It's a philosophical look at the world we live in, and of the dreams and visions for mankind. Sometime's it's a form of political statement, or trying raising social awareness on today's issues.
Five basic aspects: Rhyme, Meter, Form, Free Verse, Prose
Rhyme means that certain lines sound the same, usually at the end, although there is also beginning rhyme, and midline rhyme, plus many others. Forms usually involve lines having the same amount of syllables in each line, or set of lines. These lines are grouped into stanzas, or verses.
Forms
Most of it also has rhyme and meter, but not necessarily. The Haiku and Senryu, for example, are non rhyming forms, which are based more on syllable count. The difference between formed poetry and simple rhyme and meter, is that it follows a specific pattern, meaning it has a specific number of lines, and stanzas, has a specific amount of syllables in each line, and rhymes in a certain way.Free Verse
Free verse does not usually rhyme, although it can. When it does, it doesn't follow any set pattern. Free Verse doesn't have a set meter, but you can sometimes feel a rhythm deep inside, instead of on the surface. Free verse poetry is more about imagery, and emotion.
Many poets worry that free verse is a lesser form of poetry than the traditional forms. The truth is quite the opposite - nearly all modern poets write using free verse. In fact, some of the earliest recorded poetry were written in free verse.
Prose has been around as long, or longer than Free Verse. Prose, while it can be written in stanza form, it doesn't have to be. It also differs from the other types of poetry in one main aspect. Prose, unlike the other forms of poetry, follows the gramatic rules for whatever language it is written in. For example, English Prose may still have imagery, flow, and alliteration, as long as it stays within the gramatic confines of the English language.
Poetic License: Breaking the rules
Poetry uses what is called poetic license, which means it doesn't follow the rules of the language, but it still has rules of it's own. This is most true of form poetry, as there aren't many rules to free verse. But poetic license also refers to making up words, breaking words up into multiple lines, and other fun things.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of what poetry actually is, and how to determine what different types of poetry are out there. Our next look into poetry will be on poetic devices, imagery, artistic flow, and alliteration. Keep on writing!
Adding your comment:
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Good for you, for sharing your knowledge. This world needs all the creative people it can hold. I shall add this to my "Helpful Columns" list. If anyone would like to see various definitions of what poetry "is", I've posted a list of quotations, many of them dealing with being a writer. Be well, Poets and Scribes. 
