I have recently had an epiphany about poetry. I had formerly thought of poetry being the style of verse that rhymes and has a definite rhythm, not unlike the song writing that I have done for years - the form of story-telling that falls into a particular expectation of format.

Lately though, I have had some very intimate experiences with what I now understand as a different form of poetry, that is free verse. Story telling that doesn’t hold to the traditional or expected (at least by me) form of rhyme and rhythm.

I have seen the beauty of the spaces in between the lines. The things that are not said, the rhythm that is left open, the rhyme that is not stated.

This has helped me see even better the spaces in between all forms of poetry. It feels to me a bit like our general scientific understanding of the atom. We have until very recently thought of the atom as being made up of electrons, surrounding a nucleus of protons and neutrons. Now our scientists are telling us that there is more in the spaces in between the spaces in the atom. Amazing.

Similarly (though I am obviously no scientist) I have now expanded my view of poetry to see not just the lines, or the spaces in between the lines, but the spaces in between the spaces. I love it. I have found a new freedom to express myself. I hope you enjoy my free verse!   Merelyn Carter