What constitutes poetry?

It's a question I ask of myself.

I have so many things written and locked away that I think could be, but then again perhaps they are not.

For the most part, these hidden works are my own opinions and perspective of things. They have in one way, or another affected my life. Both good and bad.

Even though what is written flowed unhindered, is it poetry? I'll never truly know and those who may or may not respond to this post don't either.

Words of others have tumbled into my head and they have caused a reaction. They may not rhyme and they may not flow smoothly. Sometimes they read more like a story or narrative.

Does this make it less poetic?

For my mind it does not. People's tales and stories have taken me somewhere and often caused me to think about things. Perhaps things I never would have, sometimes never should have.

And yet!

It does not matter what constitutes poetry. "Keep writing". Your gonna send someone somewhere on a journey.

We are all travellers of one kind or another. Your ticket has been booked and your seat reserved, your back pack loaded and your hiking boots worn in and comfortable.

Sit back or step on board

Enjoy the journey.

Only gods know where we will end up.

A.R

Love your thoughts! Always feel free to share and I was nodding to many of your points.
For example, I have thoughts I write down in my notebook and bring places, yet may never form into a poem (structure-wise).
There's a way I speak in my mind that is the free flow of my thoughts, same with poetry, yet the focus is usually more on emotion
for my poetry.

Yes, I totally agree that you can send anyone on a journey with your words. What may constitute as a poem to one person but not
appeal to another. If you connect, if you react, if you can be moved by a piece, that's what stands out for me.

Thank you so much for adding to this. The problem with me, and I admit it, is that I can start out with a thought. Sometimes I've get as far as writing the first stanza and then thought process weaves. Pictures and visions in ones head!

Before I know it..,what was to be a simple poem has morphed into something else.

I guess many are the same. Thoughts tumble and Collide.

I suppose that's why I like rhymes they flow so easily. Word follows word, emotion behind emotion, thought to follow thought

Regards

Craig

Like many of us here mine comes a little from experience (not that I have alot of that under my belt) and a little from well, just thoughts or seeing something /someone that touched my life if that makes sense.

And in my opinion it doesn't have to rhyme and if it does (like my last one) it needed too in my eyes.

Also, if someone can relate to feel something from it then it makes it all worthwhile.

To me poetry is written thoughts.

Those thoughts take the form of either verse or prose.

The most artistic kind of form is verse because verse is usually rhyme and it includes different elements of writing including meter which adds rhythm and makes the reading almost musical. However, prose can also be artistic. It depends on the elements one uses for writing whether one uses intentionally or not.

But poetry is just written thoughts in my opinion.

If never even heard of the meter before I signed up for this.

I've redoubt mentioned a lot but I've never actually looked into it.

Craig

For me I love poetry with good meter and rhyme. Since being on P&Q I have discovered lots of poems that are quite brilliant which dont rhyme and dont seem to have much meter but they do have great visual descriptions and inspire emotion and thoughts.

I write nearly all of my poetry from my bed when a thought will come to me out of the blue and I suddenly feel the urge to write. I have no idea where it comes from but at the oddest moments I get the strangest of ideas. I love rhyming words and though I try hard it is nearly impossible for me to write a poem that doesnt rhyme in some way or another.

In answer what constitutes poetry to me -

"Poetry is a collection of words that comes direct from another's mind, heart and soul - that captures, touches or speaks directly to mine"