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One poet we should all remember is Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 – 1894). One of his most known books of poetry is “A Child’s Garden Of Verses”, which was written specifically for children. One favorite poem included in this collection is “Bed In Summer,” that many people can still recite from memory. There are many other great poets including: Emily Dickinson, Dylan Thomas, Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop and others.

Free verse poetry became quite popular in the Twentieth Century, but it was around long before that time. Free verse is as old as the Bible; what is more beautiful than the Psalms, Song of Solomon and other books and passages, including some in the New Testament? Most of this poetry is written in free verse.

There are some poets who believe poetry has to rhyme or it is not real poetry. I disagree with that idea. There are many poetic devices that can bring music and magic to your poetry. A few of those devices include: alliteration (the repetition of initial consonant sounds letter), imagery (a mental picture, or a likeness the senses can perceive), metaphor (a comparison of two things, such as ‘the yellow fog that is a cat.”, onomatopoeia (word or phrase whose sound imitates the sense) and personification (endows inanimate objects with human traits or abilities).

Writing poetry is quite contagious once you get into it whether it is traditional rhymed poetry or free verse. Remember, free verse is not new. Try writing free verse, be a friend of free verse and there is no rule that you cannot have a few rhyming lines that just happen. Never force a rhyme scheme into any poetry, be it traditional or Free verse..

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