A prose poem is a kind of lyric poetry that uses sentences and paragraphs, not the usual lines and stanzas of an ordinary poem. It is usually short.

The language within the paragraph may have some qualities of ordinary poetry, such as figures of speech, repetitions, rhythm, and even rhyme. Often a prose poem will contain dream-like thoughts or ideas that do not seem to be rational. Emotions may be only hinted at or quickly cut off.