edit: obligatory im not much of a writer, just a shitposter, I don’t know anything don’t take this personally if you like free verse, rant below:

I get that it’s supposed to mimic regular speech or regular writing, but why call it “poetry” at that point? Some things are called “poetry” only because the subject matter is profound or some shit and the pauses are whack.

Is it done just to muddy the boundaries between prose and poetry? I don’t know. All I know is that I’m frustrated with the laziness of the writer whenever I see it and I want to stab them with their pen.

I see that some people may make really great stuff when they stop with the Dr. Seuss’ing of trying to make literally everything rhyme, but it makes no sense to care about poetry that drops all meter. It doesn’t take much at all to add rhythm to something, and it might as well be done if the entire intent of the piece is to be read aloud (which is often the case).

I want Whitman to die again by my hands. End rant.