Verse That is Free

In Mary Oliver’s chapter A Verse That is Free, she clearly defines what components make up a free verse. I have always been drawn to free verse as a style of poetry simply because, for me, it was much simpler and easier to write. It does not follow any set rules, nor is it confined to a certain meter or rhyme scheme. It simply is.
I really enjoyed her speculation as to how the free verse got its start. It makes sense that at the turn of the century, when culture in general was changing, and industrialization was sweeping society, that poetry would change along with everything else. It lost all formality. Everything that had to be done in order to write poetry was done away with. It became more of a conversation between two people. It became less “teacherly,” and more friendly. The content changed also changed with the introduction of free verse. It was now perfectly acceptable to write about anything and everything. There were no limits; poetry had truly become “free.”
The flexibility of the free verse is astounding. While it can follow certain patterns of meter and rhythm, it does not have to. That is why I think it is so appealing to poets, especially those who have not been writing poetry for very long. It is simple, easy, and no less beautiful than any other type of poetry. The freedom it gives the poet is exhilarating. Now I can write about whatever I want without any real restrictions. Now I can have fun and spend more time actually writing poetry, instead of sweating over meter and rhythm.