That's a great suggestion, Jessica. I'll add that to the queue.

I'm working on a story now defending contemporary poets. That piece will include several examples with some commentary on why I think they're so effective. I've also got a few articles up already that describe how I teach creative writing and advise novice poets on editing strategies.

But to address your original question, what makes poetry good is the same as what makes wine good. Because you like it. Someone once asked Duke Ellington how to tell good music from music that just sounds good. His reply, "If it sounds good, it is good."