Workshop Wednesday: Prose with line breaks?

An examination and experiment in intentionality

That’s not poetry. It’s prose with line breaks.

This is what some people say when they read a selection of free verse poetry. Perhaps it’s because, unlike other poetic forms, free verse has no rules or restrictions. It has no formal structure. There is no need to count syllables, organize a rhyme scheme, repeat specific lines, or bother with any particular poetic elements when writing free verse.

Except line breaks.

So what’s the difference between free verse and prose with line breaks? Let’s look closer.