In many classrooms, poetry is shoved to the neglected edge of language arts, out of the bright core of content that may (should) include grammar, vocabulary, and strong literature. If time permits, a class may read a few poems and discuss them from a so-called "interpretive" point of view. All of this takes place in the context of an apparent sharp dichotomy between poetry and prose, which are depicted as two separate genres--almost, indeed, as conflicting genres. The assumption is that writing instruction and knowledge about the technical details of poetry are different topics. Writers write writing; poets write poems. To make the situation worse, poetry is afflicted with false but popular and tenacious stereotypes that distort its nature and aggravate the problem. These stereotypes may include the idea that poetry is more suitable for girls than for boys, that poetry should be pretty, that poetry should be emotional, that poetry should be a casual and spontaneous form of self-expression, that poets write in a transport of euphoria and don't consciously know they are applying the techniques they use, and that poetry is just prose lines with rhymes at the ends. The truth is that poetry is a great art form with a vast range of subjects no different than other art forms, such as painting or music. In this article, the author discusses how poetic techniques can be used to elevate prose.