Do we need line breaks?

[milo]

We have had a few interesting discussions on both line length and line breaks in poetry on this very forum including one of my favorites here
https://www.pigpenpoetry.com/thread-4281.html

There is no rule that says you have to have line breaks in poetry and I have frequently argued that if you are not going to use them with intention and to effect you should just eliminate them.

What are some nice effects?

1. To point to your central metaphor
2. To add nuance, layering and tension
3. Poetry is far denser than prose an breaks can allow the opportunity to digest a unit of poetry properly
4. To produce a “poetic line” - great memorable lines are practically poems unto themselves

There are many more. An old friend wrote a book on writing poetry and he spent a good amount of time on the poetic line which he called the fundamental unit of poetry, I will see if I can find it later

Thank you for starting this excellent discussion

---

Here is a link to a link to the book which is an easy read. Short and a valuable resource for anyone that intends to write poetry

https://www.pigpenpoetry.com/thread-1050...ght=Hammes