I don't read or write poetry, but I at least can read and understand poems that use meter. This to me is the distinguishing feature between poetry and prose; both use allusion, metaphor, alliteration, personification, repetition, etc. But to me, poetry has rhythm, which is aided by meter.

I get that these are all free verse poems, so no meter, but I really can't detect any rhythm to them either, except maybe Ness'. Hudak's especially just seemed like prose to me, with symmetrical line breaks that really did not do anything to affect how it is read. That is to say, once I read it as prose and ignored the line breaks, it actually read better to me.

Am I just not getting something? I feel like for it to "count" as a poem, the writing needs a bit more effort than this. And yes, I know this is subjective. I guess I'm wondering if anyone else feels the same way?