Description
This essay explores the elusive and multifaceted nature of poetry, seeking to define what constitutes a poem and its essential characteristics. With no single, universally accepted definition, the essay examines the subjective aspects of poetic creation, reading, and interpretation. Focusing on the poem as a linguistic and aesthetic construct, the work highlights the unique and condensed nature of poetic language, which communicates meaning in a manner more indirect and metaphorical than prose. The essay also delves into the delicate balance between a poem's aesthetic and didactic functions, illustrating how poetry can both delight and teach, often simultaneously.