Refers to poetry written in a contemporary style, typically from the late 19th century onward, as opposed to traditional forms like waka or haiku.
彼は現代詩の朗読会を開いた。
He held a reading of modern poetry.
Modern poetry is not bound by traditional fixed forms.
Compound of 現代 (modern, present day) and 詩 (poetry). The term emerged as a way to distinguish contemporary free-verse poetry from traditional Japanese poetic forms.