“Prose: words in their best order; poetry: the best words in the best order.”

— Samuel Taylor Coleridge

12 July 1827.
Table Talk (1821–1834)
Variant: Poetry: the best words in the best order.
Context: I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry; that is, prose = words in their best order; poetry = the best words in their best order.

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Samuel Taylor Coleridge 220

English poet, literary critic and philosopher 1772–1834

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