FYI, originally there was just one Musing on Mastery thread, bundled under the Metrical section of the forum. Members cried out for an opportunity to discuss free verse masters too, so the FV Masters was born. Unfortunately, the new Moderator found that her schedule didn't allow for much of a presence here, so it languished a bit.
I would have preferred a mixed Mastery forum myself, and that may still happen. It is under discussion.
As for contemporary free verse, despite my defense of it, and my love for the form (or the un-form!), I don't like much of what I read in the journals. A journal called Fence debuted recently with great fanfare, by an organization here in NYC well heeled enough to offer an annual book prize too. I received two complimentary issues and "recycled" them almost immediately. I honestly thought that it was all crapola. Vague, rambly, obscure, ill-wrought stuff that didn't seem to address the human condition at all. Possibly the catatonic human condition. Mondo bizarro. Clearly, many poets write poetry for completely different reasons than I do, and they derive different pleasures.
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