Concepts of the nature of poetry differ widely, so no definition can adequately express what is a poem and what is not. However, a reasonable working definition of poetry could be, “A literary expression in which language is used in a concentrated blend of sound and imagery to create an emotional response; essentially rhythmic, it is usually metrical and frequently structured in stanzas.”  

To be sure good poetry should move us to an emotional response. It should take us beyond the mere facts of the situation and help us see the basic stuff of life more clearly. Aristotle described it as taking us beyond the particular to the universal. This is a good way to express it. Poetry transcends the particular; that is, what the poem is specifically about, and takes us to the bigger picture. For example, a poem that is about the love between a man and a woman can express the universal qualities of patience, devotion, selflessness, sacrifice, dedication, and commitment. However, this can also be said of a poem that is about an athlete straining to win the race. Do you see it? Two different set of particulars (situations or facts) but each about the same universal qualities. This is the beauty of poetry and to write it in this way is the genius of the greats. However, very often we are left simply with the feeling “I like that.”, or “I don’t like that.”, or more often than not, “Huh?” Surely poetry must do more than evoke a rather numb response.