本文以兩個七八○年代的馬華新詩個案來討論「非詩」問題。一是發生在現實主義陣營的《是詩，非詩》論爭，一是游川詩，及游川的所謂轉向暴露出的馬華現代詩問題。兩種詩與非詩表面上雖屬不同陣營，但二者是否共享著同一個意識型態底盤、相似的世界觀？從兩個個案看到的，其實是雜文對詩的侵入。雜文和沒有詩意的詩一直是馬華文學史上產量最高的兩種文類，兩者間的共同點，除了沒有詩意之外，就是老生常談及情緒的直露發洩。這種重現實而犧牲詩意與美的寫作方式，或許也反映了大馬華文文化總體貧乏的困境。

This article deals with the “non-poetry” problem in modern Sinophone Malaysian poetry by examining two cases during the 1970’s and 80’s: poems by You Chuan, and problems in modern Sinophone Malaysian poetry exposed by You Chuan’s reorientations of writing style. These two cases of poetry and non-poetry seem to actually share a same ideological basis and similar worldview. Both cases reflect the influence of essay on poetry writing. Essays and non-poetic poems are the two most productive genres in Sinophone Malaysian literature. In addition to being non-poetic, they are usually clichés representing a turning loose of emotion. These writing styles probably reflect the poor quality, and dilemma of Chinese Malaysian culture.