I enjoyed the meeting yesterday for the Beanery Writer's group. It is a time to share what I've written and to be critiqued by other writers. It is interesting hearing what other people think, whether I am expressing myself fully, and to be given direction and guidance by others with more experience.
I almost didn't go to the meeting. The road from my house to route 31 was covered in a layer of ice and in some areas it had layers of slushy ice, It was like tap dancing on glass, but once I reached rt. 31 I had no problems even on Rt. 982.
Some of my poetry was too stiff, wordy, and structured. It was suggested that I try to be more free flowing, not so structured, and less confined. I am thinking that is what I do in my blog here, but I will try to loosen up, be less obsessive as I write.
I think it will be hard. I have written for over 55 years with rhyme and that is why I started to write the poetry called Haiku. Haiku is concise and yet still has structure.

Accomplishment and goals
Very much a part of men's souls
I will try to write as much as I can
A bit more loose than when I began.
I want to still rhyme as I write.
But not stress with syllables quite.
Children need structured guideline
To learn, know, and determine
The rules of the home and society
To follow the norm and yet have liberty
Inside of those boundaries.
Not to take others freedoms nor seize.
I'm not counting syllables today,
I'm letting go in that way.
The next thing that I let go,
Maybe the rhyme, I don't know.

I don't know how less structured I am, but it is less stressful writing when I am not counting syllables  Working hard to have it fit was what I was taught as poetry. I was taught that writing poetry was work and if it didn't rhyme and have the same counts it wasn't poetry, it was prose. Oh well, I suppose.