Poquette has a bachelor's degree in English and specializes in writing about literature. In the following essay, Poquette discusses the unique structure of Carson's work and its effects on the reader.

Poetry is a versatile art. Depending upon the type of poetry, poets can use a very rigid structure, a very fluid structure, or something in between. Both extremes have their advantages and disadvantages. Many traditional poets consider formal structures of poetry a challenge to the poet, since everybody is playing by the same rules, and so must strive to be creative within those rules. On the other hand, poets can achieve very artful effects with their poetry by employing unusual structures. Much of Carson's poetry in Men in the Off Hours falls into the latter category, including "New Rule." These unusual structures have earned Carson more than one nod from critics such as a Publishers Weekly...