1John Ossa

What is the reason to speak of, and to also propose a poetic stream-performance called 'free
verse' (vers libre), as a concern drawn by T.S. Eliot in his short essay "Reflections on vers
libre"? Due to the appearance of a movement expressing inconformity –perhaps seeking to
challenge and defy the ongoing tradition, – and also inscribing sort of a novelty in the poetic
scenario, the building of a theory was thus taking place. Here relies one of the stresses that
Eliot brings to discussion in his reflection: assuming that vers libre exists, is nothing but the
intent to revolutionize and even demoralize the most genuine art of poetic composition, by
provoking rather than a revolution an approach of confusion (31). If vers libre is associated
with disruption and rejection, then its pretention is to twist and distort the traditional ways for
making poetry. Eliot seems to mention, between the lines, that seemingly a state of exhaustion
and tiredness was emerging, also connected to the already mentioned feeling of inconformity.
The question now travels to whether that state was effectively real and also whether its
correspondent response, which springs as a cause for novelty, actually gets to its aim. Eliot
questions this kind of attempts by qualifying them of 'mythical revolution' (31). It is true –
according to his mind– that the occurring social changes might also ask new ways for facing
art. That is a demand of modern societies whatsoever. But the peril might come when these
revolutions remain attached to their violent stimulus in order to challenge and disrupt.
Keeping merely that state of commotion could jeopardize any artistic expression, confining
and blurring it. When novelty meets neglect (as a logic consequence of only seeking to
disrupt,) then challenge becomes rather attack; and is this precise process of degradation
which drives to produce a theory (32). A theory is thus needed to support an ideological force
capable of shaking the grounds and cracking the building of the so called 'traditional'.
To this extent, and through these considerations, Eliot comes to affirm that "vers libre
does not exist at all" (31). And it does not, insofar it is only a theoretical construct. To come
to existence, vers libre had to be defined by a positive performance; that is, strong actual
features defining its function and structure of composition. But it seems not to happen at all.
Vers libre shows itself as a denying possibility for poetry (negative performance,) as far its
constituent feature is 'absence' rather than 'presence': absence of pattern, absence of rhyme,
absence of meter (33). To Eliot, these 'absences' are to explore and produce a sense of
unexpectedness in the readership, attending to its also pretended spirit of novelty (33). What
might happen is that once grasped the intentionality and approached the meaning of the 'new'
expressions, the created expectations dissolve and the effect simply vanishes. Being that
temporary and volatile, the free verse is no longer free, but certainly a result of the row of
absences considered (33); and the strength of its presence is just an instant that gives way to
prose, escaping from poetry. This is what Eliot calls "artificial limitations". If the verse is
capable to overcome them, then freedom is liable to happen (34); otherwise, it remains
constricted into the boundaries of its theoretical challenging intention.
Eliot does not dismiss the attempt for novelty, but yes doubts of the purpose of composing
verse without any referential grasp. And these references are not being attached to past forms
–with no possibility of changes and creative inputs– but rather the re-signification and re-
definition of poetic devices, serving the genuine poetic performance. For him, "there is no
escape from meter; there is only mastery" (35). All verses can be somehow scanned (36).
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There can be escape from rhyme, but that is that a novelty at all, since –to portray the
strongest example– the traditional blank verse has been the most accepted unrhymed poetic
composition in English language, and it is dated long before the advent of the free verse
expressions and theory (35). Rhyme, actually, is sometimes needed and even used in the so
called vers libre, when seeking to accentuate or to complete the intention of the verse (36).
And even, escaping from pattern is not certainly possible, as far as the theory has to consider
patterns at least to distort and to recompose them. Bottom line: absences, or escapes, from
pattern, rhyme and meter are only supportive moves to explore the utility of a theory; and that
seems to be the intention of the school of vers libre. But even if bottom line of his reflection, I
found four provoking and inviting accents on Eliot's considerations, which I just briefly
mention and comment:
 He nicely speaks of an "unperceived evasion of monotony" (33), created by the
contrast between 'fixity' and 'flux'. This drives me to the very beginning of our in-class
discussions, when speaking about the expected and the unexpected; that kind of
surprising effect of poetry that provokes rhythm. Rhythm happens right in the
encounter of those two states. If all were 'flux' (free verse at its extreme), then what
place could be for contrasting and appreciating? If all were 'fixity', there will be no
amusement and astonishment before the richness and multiple layers of the poetic
performance. Too much change, a total passage to no-rhyme, no-meter, no-pattern,
might dispossess poetry of its own movement. The slight changes are those to better
produce a shocking effect; those who invite to deeply explore, precisely for their
subtlety, for their almost not perception, even if they are very actively present.
 Connected to the just mentioned, Eliot also affirms that "the ghost of some simple
meter should lurk behind the arras even in the 'freest' verse" (34). Starting from the
term 'arras' (as the backstage curtain; poetic itself) related to the scenario where poetry
is presented, and continuing with the verb 'lurk', speaks not of an invading motion but
rather of a watching over pretension (far from controlling). All verses somehow
respond to a starting composition, a nest of poetic tradition already weaved. Elements,
expressions, devices, are inevitably connected to that origin. And that origin echoes in
them, whether desired or not, whether invited or not. This is the affirmation of
presence over absence.
 When coming to rhythm, Eliot leaves us one simple statement: "the English ear is, or
was, more sensitive to the music of the verse"; as if opposing it to the remarked
absence of musicality in free verse. Finding it in vers libre is such a struggling effort,
in order to establish combinations, and force patters, rhymes and meter to fit within
the lines. When coming to terms with free verse –being aware that it is still poetry– is
kind of inevitable to look for sound; it is still inevitable to impose rhythm. English
language is built upon this assumption and so does its poetic expression. It is
interesting to notice how we are, one way or another, driven by that operation of
'rhytmizing consciousness'.
 And last, but not least, Eliot concludes with a seemingly simple statement that I found
perhaps the most challenging one: "The division between Conservative Verse and vers
 3John Ossa

libre does not exist, for there is only good verse, bad verse, and chaos" (36). It is
interesting to notice how he capitalizes the term 'Conservative' to address to the more
traditional, and leaves vers libre in small caps, and italicized, as if referring to a lower
scale of composing poetry. Good verse in 'free verse' could only exist when keeping
that ghost of meter, allowing its lurking, and sliding into occasional rhyme, not
escaping from what constitutes the genuine spirit of poetry. All in all, it seems that
Eliot comes to affirm that without poetry there is only chaos. Not that prosaic
expression is chaos, but rather that life without verse might be senseless, empty,
uncolored, and unexpressive. I found very appealing that expression: "for there is only
good verse, bad verse" (that is the whole realm of poetry) and then, after a comma,
"and chaos". Poetry might have then the function to suggest a cosmic motion –that of
providing with sense, harmony and direction– (opposed to chaotic motion) to the
ensemble of human expressions. If one absence has to be developed, be it that of
chaos; if one escape is to be performed, be it that of not even producing a single verse
(whether good or bad).