Writing Poetry and Writing About Poetry. Differences?

Having the experience of both writing poetry and writing critical work on published poetry, the differences are a stark contrast. 

The main difference that separates poetry and writing about poetry is in the creation. While writing about poetry does take creativity, all the work is in front of you, and it is your job as the critic to "discover" the meaning behind the text. Essentially, you have to interpret the work, using evidence from the text to support your thesis. But as the poet, you have to write creatively in order to bring on your meaning in a beautiful way. 

When writing about poetry, there is no practical need in being subtle to your readers, but as the poet, being subtle is the mode you want write your poetry in. In being subtle, people come up with different interpretations, and by using different poetic devices like imagery, metaphor, and allegory, you are writing about a topic using sometimes completely different words than what an ordinary person would use to describe that topic. For example, Shakespeare takes the topic of death and personifies it, gives it an identity, and plays around with that image in a sort of narrative to give his thoughts on the topic of death and how to combat it. A philosopher or an essayist would use evidence and examples that are concrete, and sure it would get the same message across, but poetry is more touching and convincing because it is in a narrative format - bending the rules of language.  

Though writing about poetry does give you a lens into the process that goes behind poetry writing. If the poem is truly moving and convincing, the reader can see how calculated every line and word choice is. Interpreting poetry in different ways, but having the readers come up with coming up with similar answers, is a skill that the poet needs to learn and develop. If no one understands what the poet is saying, and all come up with completely different answers as to what they are trying to say, then that is not a successful attempt at poetry. 

Having experience at both writing poetry and writing about poetry, some useful knowledge that I've learned that could help with future teaching is that every work of art has its intended purpose. The poet is trying to convey a certain meaning, and allowing for students to see that in various types of works will help them broaden their comprehension and capacity to think.