I was just arguing with someone, and this came up. They keep claiming that these days poetry is just whatever woks for you, your taste, nothing else. They keep using the word 'style'.

I can't think of any modernist poet that was well thought of only to then lose that reputation to modernist (rather than post-modern) critics, but it would help to shut this person up.

Obviously, there was infighting and critics took sides (Adorno and Stravinksy), but I'm curious: were the reputations of most modernist poets were faiirly stable?

Luke