The Lord of All Knowledge,
Gatekeeper of Truth,
says the poem means this.
Generations of readers bow
before this wisdom,
even though they don’t see it,
can’t believe it,
they just accept it.
When the poet reads
the critic’s piece,
she laughs and laughs
at the irony of such arrogant
assumptions!
Oh, student!
Good reader!
There are no errors
of interpretation in poetry!
Your experiences show you a meaning,
and if you can find lines to support,
your responses are just as valid as any critic’s.
(So the famous poet said to me,
and he should know).
Shawn L. Bird 
Yes. We all need to remember this.
ooo – they just accept it?
deep and light poem here, Shawn – so good
🙂
Every established poet with whom I’ve talked says the same thing!
I know! The exam writers make me crazy, because I NEVER think what they think, and the idea that theirs is the ‘right’ answer is just annoying. lol
Interesting piece
Very wise, Soul ~ there is no ‘right’ as there is no ‘wrong’ ~ this is the Cosmic, spiritual Truth of Love, in Love, and All is Love. No one needs a well-established poet to tell them anything; your Truth is in your Heart. Well done! 👏🏼
Wish my old university lecturers believed this.
Ahh the truth of poetic truth! Well said.