"In the past I have declined to comment on my own work: because, it seems to me, a poem is what it is; because a poem is itself a definition, and to try to redefine it is to be apt to falsify it; and because the author is the person least able to consider his work objectively"

This quote by James Schuyler talks to the concept that a poem is a self-contained meaning, and that any effort to redefine it can result in a distortion of its true meaning. Schuyler believes that the author is the least certified to consider their work objectively, and so has actually chosen to not discuss his own operate in the past. This recommends that Schuyler believes that the analysis of a poem is finest delegated the reader, as they are the ones who can best understand the poem's real meaning. Schuyler's quote likewise speaks with the idea that a poem is an unique kind of expression, which it ought to be appreciated for what it is, instead of attempting to require it into a preconceived definition. Eventually, Schuyler's quote motivates readers to appreciate the charm of a poem without attempting to over-analyze it.