And at least in poetry you should feel free to lie. That is, not to lie, but to imagine what you want, to follow the direction of the poem.
Interpretation
Poetry allows for creative freedom and expression that may bend the truth to evoke emotion.
In this quote, Mark Strand emphasizes the unique nature of poetry as a form of art that encourages imaginative expression. He suggests that while poets may not lie in a traditional sense, they have the liberty to conjure visions and emotions that may not adhere to reality, thus fostering a deeper connection with readers through personal interpretation and creativity.
In practice
A poet's reading at a literary festival could incorporate this quote to discuss the freedom of artistic expression.
...In another time, What cannot be seen will define us, and we shall be prompted To say that language is error, and all things are wronged By representation. The self, we shall say, can never be Seen with a disguise, and never be seen without one.
Even this late it happens the coming of love, the coming of light. You wake and the candles are lit as if by themselves, stars gather, dreams pour into your pillows, sending up warm bouquets of air. Even this late the bones of the body shine and tomorrowβs dust flares into breath.
No voice comes from outer space, from the folds of dust and carpets of wind to tell us that this is the way it was meant to happen, that if only we knew how long the ruins would last we would never complain.
From the shadow of domes in the city of domes,_x000D_ A snowflake, a blizzard of one, weightless, entered your room_x000D_ And made its way to the arm of the chair where you, looking up_x000D_ From your book, saw it the moment it landed. That's all_x000D_ There was to it.
There's a certain point, when you're writing autobiographical stuff, where you don't want to misrepresent yourself. It would be dishonest.
It hardly seems worthwhile to point out the shortsightedness of those practitioners who would have us believe that the form of the poem is merely its shape.
It's always a nice feeling, having people think that you feel things much deeper than you're allowed to say, but this isn't true. If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough.
No poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone.
I believe entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot.
The public for which masterpieces are intended is not of this earth.
Everything on this record is what I really wanted to say, and I'm back to being the poet I always thought I was.
The real test of a musician is live performance. It's one thing to spend a long time learning how to play well in the studio, but to do it in front of people is what keeps me coming back to touring.
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