poetry pet peeve

Why do so many fantasy writers seem compelled to wedge awful poetry into the text of their prose? Because Tolkien did it? Ugh, so tedious. The only one who has done it well recently, in my experience, has been Alison Croggon. But then, she was first a poet.

That having been said, here's a poem that is going to appear in RoseThorn! Hey, can you say hypocrit?

Golden Leaf

I saw a golden leaf fall,
it took eternity and no time at all.
For the leaf all the time that was and ever will be,
but a breath, but a heart beat for me.
I saw a golden leaf fall,
it took eternity and no time at all.

(at least it has the virtue of brevity)