I heard the following quoted in a tv show recently, and found it so beautiful to my ears I assumed it was a poem. Turns out it was a quotation, which got me wondering about what qualifies a poem as such? Is it simply the declaration by the author, or is there more to it that that?
Well, a proverb is usually a short saying which states a general truth or advises you in some fashion; a similar thing can probably be said of aphorisms. Poems need neither contain truth nor advice; what their purpose is can be more varied (and their length anyway...). I'd say poems let you experience something in some form, either in terms of going through emotions or on an intellectual journey, and, while usually concise, they are almost always longer than proverbs or aphorisms. There are exceptions, of course - Rupi Kaur's poetry, for instance, at times sounds like what you might read on the back of a matchbox in your local Wetherspoons. But in most other (shorter) forms of poetry you also don't get that aphorism-feeling which you would from your example... say, in 'the red wheelbarrow'. Of course, contemporary oh-so-revolutionary poets bend and stretch the definitions of poetry so far (and with contradictory opinions) that it begins to become futile to state what a poem is... but that still gives us room to discuss what is shit and what isn't. Edit: I googled the example you gave; apparently that IS a quote from a poet called Khalil Gibran!
@ReproveTheCurlew - yes, the author of that quote is indeed a poet (I should have mentioned that really) but I don’t think the quote is a poem. I can find no mention that it is and you’ll not find it formatted as such. What you say about the differences is very true, but I think it’s because I’m such a fan of the short format - and so seek them out - that the line between proverb / quote / aphorism and short poem is so blurred.
@OurJud quite true, it's difficult to tell whether that's a poem - or from a poem - I know absolutely nothing of Gibran. And yes, you're also true that the distinction is rather blurry - although PERSONALLY I would argue that a poem is USUALLY still different, even in short forms - just thinking of 'In a Station of the Metro', which certainly contains no qualities which a proverb/aphorism would have (and that's probably a good rule-of-thumb in most Imagist/Vorticist poetry). That doesn't mean, of course, that there aren't examples that would prove the contrary... I suppose a lot of the problems spring out of the contemporary definitionS of poetry, making it confusing... not sure how much that helps you with your question!
Probably more than you think. After mulling over your initial definitions I studied the Gibran quote again, and as nice as it sounds to my ears, there is something about the syntax and run-on sentences that separate it from poetry. I see now, how a proverb / aphorism is - just as you explained - usually offering advice, or even preaching. Whereas a short poem is more a casual snapshot or observation.
That quotation is from my favorite book, The Prophet. These are the MC's last sentences on friendship that he spoke to the youth after they asked him, "Speak to us of Friendship." I've always loved this book. It's described as prose poetry fables.
So do I, he inspired me to become a prophet as well and to take poetry to new heights. I even have the poetry book The Prophet.
