Poem, Free Form, and Free Verse: The Differences and How to Recognise Them

Do you label your writing as a poem, even though you don’t know what a villanelle is? (No, it’s not a female villain!) Do you write out verses, tack a rhyme on the end, and hope others will call it a free verse? Do you tinker with different forms, or do you just write till your heart’s content? Here is a definitive explanation, in the hopes that writers everywhere will open their eyes to a broader understanding of the world of poetry.