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Unread 06-10-2009, 06:34 AM
Richard Epstein Richard Epstein is offline
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Location: Denver
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"This could impede their ability to see themselves as bona fide writers, thus stunting their confidence to develop and change, and it prevents their coming into contact with the kind of praise/appraisal that would allow them to grow and experiment as creative artists. "

Ms Holland,

You are absolutely right, of course; but that's a matter for sociology, not aesthetics. Understanding why a poem may not be better and why a poet may not have developed as she could have hones our sympathy and perhaps motivates us to improve the situation in which we all find ourselves; but it leaves the poem right where it was. If a poem isn't good, understanding why doesn't make it better.

RHE