In my opinion, a great formal poem should strike a perfect 50/50 balance between form and content. At least that's what I strive for personally. Some of my poems have been started without form in mind. Some of them have been started with a specific idea for length / meter etc. Most are in the latter camp, but when all is said and done, if you don't have the content to fill the form, it's just an exercise. And if you don't have form to rein in the content, it's just prose.
Again, it's my opinion. No facts were harmed in its formation, I promise you.
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