Regarding poets and their personal history, I try to read the poetry first and then delve into the biography later. The biographical information many times adds to the reading of the poem, but I always seem able to hang on to my first memories. I don't remember any of Lorca's work that told me that he was gay, but when I learned he was it added something important to the reading. And how can anyone read Dickinson without wanting to know more about her?
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