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From:  Greypins@a...
Greypins@a...
Date:  Sun Dec 31, 2000  3:42 am
Subject:  'my papa's waltz' was: English contemporary


i think, if it is true that roethke did have a great relationship with
his father, that the imagery he has chosen for this poem may have suffered
from events to follow long after his writing it. certainly the awareness of
child abuse that has grown, as well as the increased intolerance that has
grown towards child abuse, in the last thirty years, may have retroactively
changed the perspective on such imagery.

if indeed our perspective changes the view of this poem, it serves as an
indication that art does not stand alone in and of itself. i can just
imagine the debate we could have concerning the resposibility of the artist
vs. the responsibility of the audience. where should we draw the line
between mispoken and misunderstood?

looking for trouble,
mike

emusic.com