Vers Libre

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

Literature which calls itself poetry, but follows none of the rules concerning regular rhythm, alliteration, assonance, or rime. There is a certain rhythmical quality to it, such as is also found in musical prose, and it usually employs more figurative language than does prose, but the main reason for calling it poetry is that it is written in lines.

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944

Literature which calls itself poetry, but follows none of the rules concerning regular rhythm, alliteration, rime, or assonance. There is a certain rhythmic quality to it, such as is also found in musical prose, and it usually employs more figurative language than does prose, but the main reason for calling it poetry is that it is written in lines. Some writers put such emphasis on the appearance on the page that they write poems like this: Wail saxaphoneswaft u (vapour cloud miasma ) p (seek the absent minded star) cling the lingering last the ling ering fallsweep rush and heark the tendril sigh.