From the boulevard to the boudoir: the prose poem's evolution from Baudelaire's scenes of French daily life to Nin Andrew's contemporary portrayal of the individual

Abstract

Compared to many forms of poetry, the prose poem is one of the most experimental and understated. It is a "genre of poetry, self consciously written, and characterized by the intense use of virtually all devices of verse" (Benedikt 47). By doing away with line breaks, it "uses means of prose toward the ends of poetry" (Lehman 13). Though when speaking of this form only a few long dead French poets may come to mind, "the prose poem has achieved an unprecedented level of popularity among American poets" (Lehman 24). Over time a range of contemporary American poets utilized this French tradition.