Friday, January 23, 2026

My Thoughts on Free Verse

 By Joshua Gay

-

I do not like free verse

I care not for its linguistic liberties

Nay

In its unrestrained lines

And rhythmless verses there is

An irksome quality with a

Biting reproach stings mine eyes

I am insulted


It tramples on the graves of poets long since past

It spits upon the headstones of

Bards those great men

With skill and patience to bind 

Their highest machinations of thought in 

Graceful girdles of meter

And rhyme


The abrasive stream of words harangue 

Me and my soul wearies

Grated against the harsh

Soliloquy that would grieve e’en the

Beautiful mind of Shakespeare

Pain


Verily I detest it

I care not for

Inconsistency

In sound and syllable nay!

I cannot pardon it

No diction or mellifluous phrasing can

Atone for this crime

And utterly blasted 

May I be

Should I ever forbear to indulge in this literary 

Sin.




About the Author
Joshua Gay is currently in his second year at ICC for his associate’s degree in education. Living nearby in East Peoria, Joshua is a committed member of the ICC Honors Program and enjoys a variety of subjects, from English, creative writing, and the Humanities to sciences like Biology and Psychology. In addition to a part-time job and family commitments, Joshua also enjoys walking his dog, hiking in nature, or expressing his artistic inclinations through drawing, programming, and writing short stories and poems.

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