Luxor4u

A few definitions to help our creativity

Lyric
• noun 1 (also lyrics) the words of a song. 2 a lyric poem or verse.
• adjective 1 (of poetry) expressing the writer’s emotions, usually briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms. 2 (of a singing voice) using a light register.
— ORIGIN Greek lurikos, from lura ‘lyre’.

Poem
• noun a literary composition in verse, typically concerned with the expression of feelings or imaginative description.
— ORIGIN Grek poema, variant of poiema ‘fiction, poem’, from poiein ‘create’.
Prose • noun ordinary written or spoken language, without metrical structure.
• verb talk tediously.
— ORIGIN from Latin prosa oratio ‘straightforward discourse’.

Stanza
/stanz /
• noun a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse.
— ORIGIN Italian, ‘standing place, stanza’.

Hepzi's definitions reminded me of Brendan Behan when asked how one differentiated between prose and poetry said:-

There was a young fellah named Rollocks
Who worked for Ferrier Pollocks.
As he walked on the Strand
With his girl by the hand
The tide came up to his knees.

Now that's prose and if the tide had been in it would be poetry.

Now I understand Joef, thank you!

[face=Comic Sans MS]JOEF! Thank you so much for that insightful piece.

I was recently asked about the difference between Lyrics and Poems so thought I'd visit the dictionary corner. [/face]

Sorry Hepzi but I prefer Joef's definition
Even if he did lower the tone a little

Good definitions