Prose Poetry
The prose poem has no lines and no line breaks, but it obeys an internal
formal necessity. What distinguishes it from a fragment of narrative is that
it does not progress: it deepens.
1. Characteristics
- A compact block, usually five to thirty lines.
- No verse, no obligatory rhyme, but constant rhythmic work.
- Unity of tone, image or place.
- No plot. If there is a narrative, it is a pretext.
- Closure by displacement, never by conclusion.
2. What holds the text together
Since the line no longer supports it, four forces take over:
- The rhythm of the sentence, with returning structures and varying lengths.
- Unity of lexical field, held with discipline.
- Sensory progression: the text changes perceptual register, from visual to
aural, from aural to tactile.
- The last sentence, which must open rather than close.
3. Writing
- Sentences of strongly contrasting lengths. A five-line sentence followed by
a three-word one produces most of the effect.
- Repetition of a word or a structure every three or four sentences, used as
scansion.
- The concrete dominates: objects, gestures, materials, prices, proper nouns.
- No commentary by the text on its own meaning.
- Punctuation is the only instrument of the cut: it is worked like a score.
4. Families
| Family |
Principle |
| Notation |
recording a place or an instant, with no intention |
| Brief fable |
a tiny event tipping into the strange |
| Portrait |
a person caught through their gestures and objects |
| Letter or address |
an unnamed recipient, a withheld word |
| Inventory |
a list that becomes a narrative by accumulation |
5. Traps
- Lyricism with no object.
- Narrative taking over and turning the text into a short story.
- Accumulated images with no sensory progression.
- The explanatory ending.
- Slack punctuation, which destroys the rhythm.
6. Procedure
- Choose a single place, instant or object.
- Write in one go, with no cuts.
- Remove every abstraction and every commentary.
- Work the sentence lengths by contrast.
- Install a repetition, used three times.
- Rewrite the last sentence at least five times.
- Read aloud, adjust the punctuation.
7. Auto-critique
Score 0 to 5: rhythmic control, unity, sensory progression, concreteness,
quality of the closure, absence of invasive narrative, absence of commentary.
Threshold: no axis below 3, average at least 4 on rhythmic control and
closure.
8. Interfaces
- Upstream:
poet.
- Neighbours:
poetry/free-verse, genres/magical-realism.
1---2name: prose-poetry3description: Prose Poetry4---56# Prose Poetry78The prose poem has no lines and no line breaks, but it obeys an internal9formal necessity. What distinguishes it from a fragment of narrative is that10it does not progress: it deepens.1112## 1. Characteristics1314- A compact block, usually five to thirty lines.15- No verse, no obligatory rhyme, but constant rhythmic work.16- Unity of tone, image or place.17- No plot. If there is a narrative, it is a pretext.18- Closure by displacement, never by conclusion.1920## 2. What holds the text together2122Since the line no longer supports it, four forces take over:23241. The rhythm of the sentence, with returning structures and varying lengths.252. Unity of lexical field, held with discipline.263. Sensory progression: the text changes perceptual register, from visual to27 aural, from aural to tactile.284. The last sentence, which must open rather than close.2930## 3. Writing3132- Sentences of strongly contrasting lengths. A five-line sentence followed by33 a three-word one produces most of the effect.34- Repetition of a word or a structure every three or four sentences, used as35 scansion.36- The concrete dominates: objects, gestures, materials, prices, proper nouns.37- No commentary by the text on its own meaning.38- Punctuation is the only instrument of the cut: it is worked like a score.3940## 4. Families4142| Family | Principle |43|---|---|44| Notation | recording a place or an instant, with no intention |45| Brief fable | a tiny event tipping into the strange |46| Portrait | a person caught through their gestures and objects |47| Letter or address | an unnamed recipient, a withheld word |48| Inventory | a list that becomes a narrative by accumulation |4950## 5. Traps5152- Lyricism with no object.53- Narrative taking over and turning the text into a short story.54- Accumulated images with no sensory progression.55- The explanatory ending.56- Slack punctuation, which destroys the rhythm.5758## 6. Procedure59601. Choose a single place, instant or object.612. Write in one go, with no cuts.623. Remove every abstraction and every commentary.634. Work the sentence lengths by contrast.645. Install a repetition, used three times.656. Rewrite the last sentence at least five times.667. Read aloud, adjust the punctuation.6768## 7. Auto-critique6970Score 0 to 5: rhythmic control, unity, sensory progression, concreteness,71quality of the closure, absence of invasive narrative, absence of commentary.7273Threshold: no axis below 3, average at least 4 on rhythmic control and74closure.7576## 8. Interfaces7778- Upstream: `poet`.79- Neighbours: `poetry/free-verse`, `genres/magical-realism`.
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