Beat poetry was a literary and cultural movement that emerged in the 1950s. It was characterized by free-form writing, spontaneous performance, and a rejection of mainstream values. The term "beat poet" is often used to describe the writers associated with this movement, but there are many other words that can be used to describe them. Some people might call them "bohemians," "rebels," or "outsiders." Others might refer to them as "counterculturalists" or "nonconformists." Still, others might describe them as "radicals," "mavericks," or "anarchists." Regardless of the word used, the beat poets were a significant force in shaping the artistic and intellectual landscape of the mid-20th century.