who was the first american poet to use blank verse?

Question

is it (a) edgar allen poe
(b) james fenimore cooper
or (c) william cullen bryant

Answer 1

I thought it was Henry Howard

Answer 2

First American Poet

Answer 3

My guess is William Cullen Bryant. Cooper, if he even wrote poetry, was certainly not well-known for it, and Poe tended to write in rhymed verse.

Bryant was very well-known for his masterful use of blank verse, although that doesn't conclusively mean he was the first. Still, that's my educated guess.

Answer 4

ideally, Robert Francis
of the above, I'd go with cooper