A POET MUST SPEAK ONLY THROUGH HIS POEM
Thanks Kunjuppu.
I am very particular about using very simple words that are still in use, so that they can be understood even by a 10 year old Tamil boy.
If the poet himself writes commentary for his poem, the poem will lose its splendour. Moreover, I personally believe a good poetic work shall give different meanings (not opposite to one another) to different individuals and to the same person, on different occasions. (No poet prefers to write commentary for his own poem and to my knowledge, no one has done it also.)
Thondi edukka, edukka, pudhaiyal pola vandhu konde irukka vendum. Engum nindru poi vida koodathu.
Another important feature of a good poem is, it must strike a common chord with everyone who happens to read or hear it.
I usually write verses that can be set to music and they conform to Tamil grammar, in terms of seer, thalai, osai and ani. Therefore, there will not be any difficulty in understanding if one hears a poem, for the second time at least.
But, the background and the source of inspiration for a particular work can be shared with all.
Please forgive me, if any boasting is seen.