Formal versus Free Verse

[Juliet+1]

I've noticed a lot of publishers have developed an aversion to rhyme; they're not so fond of any of the traditional poetry forms either. They prefer free verse or something "experimental." This is sad for those of us who really like the traditional forms like sonnets, triolets, villanelles, etc.

So, what's your preference? Formal or free? And why? Any examples?

[Ben Moore]

I’m a performance poet/spoken word artist in my free time so i favour the free verse style in my own writing but I think they’re quite different art forms. Some of my favourite poets to read are the old classics like Poe and Tennyson.

Performance wise, I think free verse is the one I find most enjoyable but if I’m reading poetry I do sometimes find traditional styles easier to follow!

There are definitely lots of traditionalists out there still!