Of course a poem is a two-way street. No poem is any good if it doesn't suggest to the reader things from his own mind and recollection that he will read into it, and will add to what the poet has suggested. But I do think poetry readings are very important.
A bad guy always assumes he's going to win, whereas the good guy has to struggle with, what if I lose?, and the audience wants to struggle with him.
| Pearl Bailey, Actress (1918) |
| Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr, Novelist (1831) |
| Earl Campbell, Athlete (1955) |
| Jennifer Capriati, Athlete (1976) |
| Billy Carter, Celebrity (1937) |
| James E. Casey, Businessman (1888) |
| Perry Farrell, Musician (1959) |
| Martin Fleischmann, Scientist (1927) |
| Robert Gibbs, Public Servant (1971) |
| Brendan Gleeson, Actor (1955) |
| Joyce Cary, Novelist (1957) |
| Helene Deutsch, Psychologist (1982) |
| Helge Ingstad, Explorer (2001) |
| Otto Hermann Kahn, Businessman (1934) |
| John Keble, Clergyman (1866) |

