Poetry vs. Writing About Poetry

Poetry is very interesting because there are rules and structure, but poetry also gives you the chance to not adhere to any rules or structure. Unless you are setting out to write a Shakespearian sonnet, where rhyme and iambic pentameter are important, there is no reason to have to follow any rules. Poetry also depends on who is reading it, because one person can find it brilliant while another find it horrible. I think that poetry should matter to the person writing it. If you are satisfied with what you have written then that is what is important.
Writing about poetry is a completely different thing. If the poem follows a structure of some sort then it is easy to begin there. For example you can tell it is a sonnet if the last two liens are a rhyming couplet. However, things get a little bit tricky if the poet has created their own style and format. How do you then write about that? Then it is important to see if the poet has created their own patterns, like every other word rhyming, or perhaps it is set up is a certain way to appeal visually. Then it is important to look at the content. Perhaps there is a theme or idea within the content. Sometimes the poet capitalizes certain words, or makes a conscious choice to not use punctuation. In writing about poetry you have to be in tuned to these little details, because a poet is very careful about every little thing in their poem.