writing poetry is so flipping hard

[milo]

I don't know. The craft of poetry is very interesting. But there's also the poets (great ones) who said the hell with it, and largely made their own forms and styles. Look at Walt Whitman, for Christ's sake. Can anyone REALLY break down his poetry and say it was great because it followed some time-honored form? It was great because he had something powerful to express that spoke to so many people.

Just another take on it.

You are claiming that Walt Whitman didn't study or use craft in poetry?

No.

Then I have a difficult time reconciling this statement

I don't know. The craft of poetry is very interesting. But there's also the poets (great ones) who said the hell with it, and largely made their own forms and styles. Look at Walt Whitman,