Poetry "Meaning"?

Question

I love reading poetry. But sometimes I am faced with a dilema when my interpretation of a particular poem is different from another person or persons. Is it true that what a poem means is what you feel? For example, T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men" is to me very pessimistic or even nihilistic. Some would disagree.

Answer 1

no no no, i agree!

Answer 2

This is a very interesting and heavy question.  I do believe that an individual's interpretation of any given piece of literature depends greatly on his or her mood.  Doubly so for poetry but there is also a basic level of emotion put into a writer's content that usually comes through fairly clearly.  I do agree with you that The Hollow Men seems to be a very pessimistic piece of work, especially when looking at the line "Sightless, unless the eyes reappear as the perpetual star, mulitfoliate rose, of death's twilight kingdom, the hope only of empty men."  This seems to indicate that hope, for this hollow man can only be found in death.  That the light at the end of the tunnel only exists when one closes his eyes completely and succumbs to his very last breath.  I have found that an argument over the meaning of any writing is almost a silly thing when taken into account that I want to be able to view the opinion of others about the work.  I might learn something or see something that I didn't see before if I listen to a fellow reader.  However, with complete respect for his or her opinion I can agree to disagree with their views. :)