Mike: essentially, it's unimportant what Frost meant. What
we mean is the meaning of the all existence. Well, yes, but,
of course, that is just my interpretation. But it's the
right one.
That's a pretty paradox you've (knowingly) painted yourself
into, Mike.
I think everything in fiction and poetry is important. It's
very important to have some sense of what the poet means in
his or her poem, especially if the poet is distant in time
or remote in culture. Think of the kennings in Old English
poetry. Or think of more modern King James English, where
"shambles" refers to a slaughterhouse and not to a mere
state of disarray. On the other hand, you can disregard what
poets intend for a while and sway into your own schooled or
unschooled sense of what the poetry is. Everything's
important and nothing is to be discounted. If I recall the
thread correctly, this is the position you started with
here, before you started emphasizing reception theory.
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