This would be a fun site to copy for class on poetry next semester.
July 20, 2004 is “The Five Stages of Poetry Reader Grief.” Love it.
Here for your amusement, are Joan Houlihan’s Five Stages of (Poetry) Reader Grief:
Given a reasonably intelligent reader, the default explanation for his or her not being able to understand even a smidgen of the poem cited seems to be that they have not been properly educated in the art of reading. Therefore, their reading takes a predictable course, one that follows Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ five stages of grief:
1. Denial
This stage is filled with disbelief and denial. You can’t believe someone seriously wrote these words and presented them as something worthy of your attention.
2. Anger/Resentment
Anger at the situation, the baffling words in front of you, the poet and his or her poem, perhaps others– reviewers, editors or book publishers–is common in this stage. You are angry at them all for causing the situation and for causing you pain.
3. Bargaining
You try to negotiate with yourself to change the experience of reading this poem. You see the poem as an isolated instance, something idiosyncratic and not likely to recur. You make deals with yourself to “work harder†and “read more†poems of this type, to “give them a chance†when you’re not so tired. You might bargain with God, “I’ll be a more disciplined and patient reader if you’ll just give me a hint as to what this one means.”
4. Depression
You realize the situation isn’t going to change. The poem happened, it was published, you will never understand it or why anyone sees value in it, and there is nothing you can do to change that. Acknowledgement of the situation often brings depression. This could be a quiet, withdrawn time.
5. Acceptance
Though you haven’t forgotten what happened, you are able to begin to move forward and approach another poem, try to begin again.