Friday, December 31, 2010  In terms of meaning, I will classify
poems into 4 categories:  Category I: This is the poem that
consists of just pretty words with no underlying deeper meaning;
it is intended to convey an aesthetic impression and nothing
more.  Catergory II: This is the poem which has a determinable
meaning, either on plain reading or on analysis, but
determinable without recourse to the poet's life.  Category III:
This is the poem that has multiple meanings, none of which is
'objectively' true, such that the reader can ascribe any meaning
to it of his own fancy.  Category IV: This is the poem that is
intended by the poet to be a metaphorical expression of a
particular feeling, experience or life-event. I would call it
the 'objective meaning' of the poem.  Whenever I read a poem, my
first question is: Which category does this poem belong to? How
do we even decide which poem belongs to which category?
Category II has the determinable meaning, so that is easiest to
identify (though it too can cause