Arthur, as you know, I sent you an e-mail when the subtext or deeper layer of
"Unpacking" came through to me. Having read too hastily, I missed it upon
the first reading. The religious undertones of "Sparrows" I entirely missed.
To me the best poetry does have layers, and it is these layers that enrich
the poem for the reader, make the poem in fact poetry instead of prose no
matter the form. I think this is much like Hemingway's work wherein
Hemingway used his iceberg theory of writing, i.e., most of the iceberg is
unseen immediately, but lies under the surface just as so much of the poem
lies beneath the surface. The title is a very good place for the poet or
writer to give a direction, and you did so in "Unpacking" and in the mention
of the death as well as in your ending. I very much approve of this aspect
of poetry; in fact I am taken by poetry that has multiple layers. Poetic
symbolism has this effect, and we don't hear much about symbolism today,
although it is an excellent device and rich in layers that extend from the
symbol much as ripples do from a stone dropped in water. The danger of course
is that the reader will miss the symbolism entirely or misinterpret it. But
these dangers should not prevent the poet's making use of the device. Hope
this bit contributes to the discussion that I am hopeful will ensue. Sue
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