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Should"be
- Above all, a poem should"be" rather than "mean." In other words, poetry should simply exist as an experience in and of itself.
www.litcharts.com/poetry/archibald-macleish/ars-poetica
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Should a poem “not mean / but be”?
Why does MacLeish say a poem should not mean / but be?
What should a poem be?
What should a poem be equal to?
What is a poem about?
What is a poem compared to?
Due to the nature of ‘Ars Poetica,’ and the fact that MacLeish suggests that a poem should “not mean / But be,” readers may find this analysis contradictory. The text describes how important it is for a poem to exist “wordlessly” rather than proclaim its existence through an analysis such as this one.
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- October 9, 1995
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Lastly, the third section states that a poem should just “be,” like a sculpture or painting. In this way, our author likens a poem to both a sentiment, as well as a work of art. But these three sections are rich with more than just comparisons.
While the poem is filled with playful similes open to many interpretations, it essentially suggests that poetry should be timeless and, paradoxically "silent," evoking images, memories, and emotions without spelling them out directly. Above all, a poem should"be" rather than "mean."
* A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs, Leaving, as the moon releases Twig by twig the night-entangled trees, Leaving, as the moon…
A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs. * A poem should be equal to: Not true. For all the history of grief An empty doorway and a maple leaf. For love The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea— A poem should not mean But be.
We then come to MacLeish’s concluding statement that a poem ‘should not mean / But be’. A poem should enact what it wants to say, rather than merely talking about it. This obviously ties in with what MacLeish says about a poem being mute, dumb, silent, and even ‘wordless’.
A poem should not mean, but be. BY Joy Young. / 12 Apr 2021. For our nineteenth virtual lesson, Haugan 8th graders experimented with Ars Poetica, a poem that explains the art of poetry. This lesson is appropriate considering how we are close to the end of our residency.
