What is the difference between an idiom and a saying?

An idiom is a phrase or group of words with a meaning that is not obvious from the individual words (for example, "rain cats and dogs", meaning "rain heavily"). Even if you know all the words (rain, cat, dog), you will probably not understand "rain cats and dogs" if you don't know the idiom. "Rain cats and dogs" is not a saying because it does not express a general truth.

A saying is a short expression that expresses a general truth and contains advice or wisdom (for example, "once bitten, twice shy", meaning that an unpleasant experience makes us more careful the next time). If you know the words (once, bite, twice, shy) you can probably understand what this saying means. "Once bitten, twice shy" is not an idiom because it is understandable from the individual words.

The Other Woman

Dethroned and discarded mercilessly

By this biased society

She holds no place in

 anyone’s range of clemency

All sympathies for her

And forgiveness for him

But she acquires nothing more

Than a label; a label

That haunts her every moment

A tag that is tagged on to her

Despite her sincerities and loyalties

To his first man to whom she is

The other woman

She is always blamed to have

Stolen one’s love, one’s mate

But didn’t he himself with

All his will and desire

Opted her in his life?

Ankita Khanna