I believe that all poetry is formal in that it exists within limits, limits that are either inherited by tradition or limits that language itself imposes.

Summary

This quote suggests that all poetry has a formal aspect to it, as it operates within certain boundaries or constraints. These boundaries can come from either traditional conventions or the limitations imposed by language itself. Despite the notion of free verse or experimental poetry, this perspective argues that even those unconventional forms exist within some form of limitation and are still influenced by the structure or rules of language. In essence, it highlights the idea that poetry is characterized by its adherence or response to formal constraints, regardless of how traditional or unconventional those constraints may be.

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