Which American poet is renowned for his use of free verse?

Walt Whitman is renowned for his pioneering use of free verse, a style of poetry that eschews traditional meter and rhyme schemes. His seminal work, "Leaves of Grass," exemplifies this approach, allowing for a more natural, flowing expression of thought and emotion. Whitman's poetry is characterized by its expansive lines and free-flowing rhythm, which mirror the vastness and diversity of the American experience he sought to capture.

In contrast, Robert Frost often employed traditional forms, such as iambic pentameter, and structured rhyme schemes in his work, focusing on rural life and nature. Emily Dickinson, while innovative and known for her unique style, did use meter and rhyme in many of her poems, often leaning on slant rhyme and an unconventional approach to stanza structure rather than free verse. Langston Hughes, a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, also experimented with free verse but was part of a larger tradition influenced by both blues and jazz rhythms, which complicates his categorization solely within the realm of free verse. Thus, while each poet holds a significant place in the American literary canon, Whitman's distinctive contributions to free verse set him apart as a key figure in the development of this poetic form.