Do we need line breaks?

[busker]

A line break is a pause.

But pauses are also denoted by commas, em dashes, ellipses (ellipses?), semi colons, colons and fully stops.
Then why do we need line breaks?

If the argument is that a line break denotes a pause in thought, a point where we have finished a line and can reflect on it momentarily before diving into the next, that reflection being the essence of poetry, I think commas have the same effect.
For instance:

When you are old and grey and full of sleep, and nodding by the fire, take down this book, and slowly read, and dream of the soft look your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

Definitely looks odd, and placing a full stop after “book” would improve the line. But writing it out with line breaks misses that point. It’s better written out with commas IMO.

Or 

Though the night was made for loving,
   And the day returns too soon,
Yet we'll go no more a roving
   By the light of the moon.

Vs

Though the night was made for loving and the day returns too soon, yet we'll go no more a roving by the light of the moon.

The second one is better, and uses only a single comma, thereby saving ink and paper.

I don’t think there’s any reason to persist with line breaks, and all poems should be written out as paragraphs. The distinction between poetry and prose is subtler than just how it’s written out, and removing the least important distinction of form will help in disabusing people of the notion that poetry is prose with line breaks. Also, if it’s not relevant information, why are we teaching our AIs this shite?

[wasellajam]

I like ‘em. I’ve read novels with fun, or moving, memorable passages that would stand alone. But they don’t, they’re part of a whole.

I like the visual experience of reading a poem, a poem with lines, breaks, strophes, patterns. For me they are a slower, more thoughtful read.

[dukealien]

Yes. And, when wondering why, think about what free verse would be without them.

[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

[wasellajam]

So, I read the linked thread and had the same response I had then, better go check my recent poems. I immediately found two lines which could be improved. Aiming the breaks at the metaphor, theme, point, can only improve the final effect. Good enough reason for line breaks right there. 

Also in that thread is a link to a thread on line speed. Unfortunately that thread was a victim of True’s deletion spree so it may look at first glance like milo is talking to himself, but milo was smart enough to quote everything so it’s still readable. Another way to control the read through line breaks.

---

ha, just tweaked two line breaks in Fentanyl, they may help and I don't think they hurt it, thanks for bringing it up, busker.

[milo]

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So, I read the linked thread and had the same response I had then, better go check my recent poems. I immediately found two lines which could be improved. Aiming the breaks at the metaphor, theme, point, can only improve the final effect. Good enough reason for line breaks right there. 

Also in that thread is a link to a thread on line speed. Unfortunately that thread was a victim of True’s deletion spree so it may look at first glance like milo is talking to himself, but milo was smart enough to quote everything so it’s still readable. Another way to control the read through line breaks.

---

ha, just tweaked two line breaks in Fentanyl, they may help and I don't think they hurt it, thanks for bringing it up, busker.

Heading over to read through with the changes a couple times

[busker]

Yes.  And, when wondering why, think about what free verse would be without them.

Free verse without like breaks would be prose poetry. A very satisfying form.

[milo]

Yes.  And, when wondering why, think about what free verse would be without them.

Free verse without like breaks would be prose poetry. A very satisfying form.

From Hammes on prosody :

To this end, a poem is a communication that /makes
use of/ the line. It is not a prose communication or
incommunication hacked at random into short segments.
If you cut up a string of drool with scissors, it's not
only still drool, but mere proximity of the pieces causes
them to flow back together. And while this is extended
metaphor, it is not poetry.

[brynmawr1]

I think one of the more compelling reasons line breaks are important in poetry is they give the writer the ability to say two things, often unrelated, within one grammatical sentence that would not require a comma or other punctuation. This can also give the reader a little surprise when the next line continues in an unexpected direction.

a related question which Busker raised is "What makes a paragraph a prose poem vs just plain old prose?"

[milo]

I think one of the more compelling reasons line breaks are important in poetry is they give the writer the ability to say two things, often unrelated, within one grammatical sentence that would not require a comma or other punctuation.  This can also give the reader a little surprise when the next line continues in an unexpected direction.

a related question which Busker raised is "What makes a paragraph a prose poem vs just plain old prose?"

I would say you could consider The Ring and the Book a prose poem but I doubt you would agree

[Tiger the Lion]

We so often get the question on here "what's the difference between poetry and prose."

I think it's just as fair to ask what is the difference between poetry and music, or poetry and finger painting for that matter. The fact that poetry and prose are both presented in text is by necessity. Poetry is more than the written word and draws from music, drama, fine arts etc. in its delivery. 
 
Rhyme and meter can tick many of the musical boxes,  but,  for me,  line breaks, and punctuation are critical choices in painting the overall canvas. The same could be said for blank space. 

On a side note. If anyone wants to improve their line breaks I highly recommend studying your fav stand up comedian. They call it timing. We call it line breaks.

[rayheinrich]

"Poetry got its start being spoken out loud, which is still its greatest strength.
Using line breaks and blank lines, absent other forms of time control,
lets the words stand on the page, alone. This helps the reader's brain switch
into aural perception mode, so they hear the poem instead of read it."
- Kay Ryan

[dukealien]

"Poetry got its start being spoken out loud, which is still its greatest strength.
Using line breaks and blank lines, absent other forms of time control,
lets the words stand on the page, alone. This helps the reader's brain switch
into aural perception mode, so they hear the poem instead of read it."
- Kay Ryan

Also, since poetry was originally oral (especially before writing), it gives the skald opportunities to breathe.  We are not (like birds, with their syrinx, or a piper with circular breathing) able to both talk/sing and breathe at the same time.  It also gave the poet time to think if he's making it up as he goes along - OK, next line ends with "wine-dark sea" to fill the meter but what more can I say about Ajax busting chops?