Formal Poetry against Free Verse
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
Plato in “inventing some extraordinarily powerful images of his own” came up with “notably
the poet as Corybant”. ~ Penelope Murray, Plato on Poetry, 9
If poets are like Corybantes in
Ecstatic dance, then armor is a part
Of their identity. A guarded shin
And thigh and breastplate (that protects the heart)
Are crucial to their rituals. They move
As warrior men. They give protection to
The greatest of divinity and prove
The highest god must be protected. True
To him these dance as if in magic made
Of metal. They protect him in a cave.
They stamp there round the mouth with shield and blade
That clash together as they step in rave
And neatness of their rhythmic patterns. Loose
Bacchantes are not good enough for Zeus.