free verse 的詞源

1869年，英語中出現了 vers libre。

But it is possible that excessive devotion to rhyme has thickened the modern ear. The rejection of rhyme is not a leap at facility; on the contrary, it imposes a much severer strain upon the language. When the comforting echo of rhyme is removed, success or failure in the choice of words, in the sentence structure, in the order, is at once more apparent. Rhyme removed, the poet is at once held up to the standards of prose. Rhyme removed, much ethereal music leaps up from the word, music which has hitherto chirped unnoticed in the expanse of prose. [T.S. Eliot, "Reflections on Vers libre," New Statesman, 3 March 1917]

但這可能是因爲過度依賴韻律使得現代人聽力變得遲鈍。拒絕使用韻律並不是在追求簡便； 相反，這會對語言本身造成更大的壓力。當舒適的韻律音響消失後，選詞、句子結構和次序的得失就會變得更加明顯。韻律消失後，詩人不得不更加符合散文的標準。韻律消失後，文字中會躍動出無數空靈動聽的音樂，這些音樂以前一直在散文的世界無聲嗶嗶。[T.S.艾略特，“自由詩反思”，新政治家雜誌，1917年3月3日]