* Ancient Poetry: Many ancient cultures, like the Greeks and Romans, had poetic forms that didn't rely on rhyme. Greek epic poems, for example, were often written in dactylic hexameter, a rhythmic structure that didn't involve rhyme.
* Free Verse: This modern form of poetry, which allows for flexibility in structure and rhythm, came about in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While poets like Walt Whitman and Arthur Rimbaud are often credited with pioneering free verse, it was a gradual evolution rather than a singular invention.
* Blank Verse: A form of unrhymed iambic pentameter, this form was popularized by Shakespeare for his plays. It predates modern free verse by centuries.
Therefore, it's misleading to attribute the "invention" of non-rhyming poetry to a single individual. Instead, it's a long-standing tradition that has evolved and been utilized in diverse ways across cultures and time periods.