[Rhina P. Espaillat]

I would like to say, for the record, that I commented on every one of the poems that Tim Murphy forwarded to me--all 18 of them. I did not "choose" which to comment on, I simply commented on all of what I was presented. If there had been any free verse poems--and I wish there had been some!--I would certainly have commented on those too.

I would have said this on the "Deck the Halls" thread, but I see it's closed, and I want to be sure everyone knows that I am far from a freeversophobe. One of my two favorite living poets, Stanley Kunitz, is primarily a free verser. The other is, of course, Richard Wilbur.

In fact, I occasionally write the stuff--as those of you know who have my most recent book, "The Shadow I Dress In"--and would love to be better at it than I am.