From Wikipedia: I don't know whether you did that, or why you did not if you didn't. Basically, it's the opposite of verse. Prose versus verse.
From dictionary.com: To amplify what cruciFICTION said. It is certainly in dichotomy with the rythmic structure of written language. In other words, just a plain and proper use of language in written form. Also, based on the second defintion. I would assume the term 'prose' can also refer to a writer's underlying message that's delivered in his or hers writing.
Prose is a natural course of writing, and of course something of matter of fact. Poetry, though today comes closer to prose, is at times metrical, rhythmical where as prose is atypical and the writer enjoys a degree of liberty. It seems prose composition rings nonrhythmic and too commonplace, but in actuality it is at times a tougher thing to do prose things. prose is more often than not considered prosaic, something humdrum. It was in the past rather abominated for its dull and homely style.But today prose is considered a tougher job since people all over the world are leaning to prose and find poetic things more intricate and unpalatable. Prose demands more regulation and in fact the author' s craftsmanship is more noticeable in prose. In poetry the poet takes the liberty of deviating from the set standards and rules since a poem is considered oftentimes a spontaneous overflow of human emotions and the few standards classically laid down for poetry cannot contain the power and spirit of it and that is why the poet freely and uninhibitedly takes on a liberal course. I love poetry so much but I always work hard to hone my prose. Poetry is something I write liberally. When it comes to prose I try to balance my movement.
Clearly, mammamaia, he did not want to know the definition of the word "prose". He knows that - it's in every dictionary. He wanted to find out what WE thought about prose. At least, that's what I assume he meant.
What others have said; any type of writing that's not poetry. You could be philsophical and argue any form of writing has poetic value, but I'm being literal here: if it's not structured in verse like a poem, or like lyrics, then it's prose.
This thread is pointless. I tried to fabricate a hypothetical situation in which this question could be posed as a philosophical issue, and I got nothin'. (And yet the one about trends got closed? No disrespect to the head honcho here, but ijs, that was a little weird. Any of these threads could've been answered the way you answered that, albeit with a little tinkering--granted, that thread got kinda lame, as the answers were starting to become slightly juvenile, but still: this thread could basically be, and HAS basically been, answered by "look it up".)
