>
> I wonder if any one would like to comment on the more
> generalised issue of whether a poem must be able to
> stand alone or can depend on the provision of
> background information.
A poem must always stand alone.
However, poems always appear within a context.
If it is in the context of a book which carries a theme
then it will be read with that theme in mind
If the context is a group of unrelated work
then it is open for the reader to interpret as they wish
Is such dependence only
> appropriate to the draft stage?
On the contrary -- it applies even more beyond the draft stage.
To what extent is it
> pplausible to enjoy a poem while completely
> misunderstanding the author's intention,
> cheers, cara
Absolutely
Once a poem is released
it is open to anyone to interpret as they please.
It could be said that if the author feels
someone has misinterpreted the work
then that is the fault of the author
and not the reader.
I could elaborate further
but haven't time to start writing an essay.
yours
Gerald
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