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My friend once said that “you have to be both gay and mentally ill to understand Siken. You can’t just be one or the other. You have to be both.” But I think writing is universal. The whole point is to convey the experiences of others and ourselves in a way that people who haven’t had those experiences can understand. But yet, I haven’t met someone who isn’t gay and mentally ill who likes Siken. Maybe I just don’t meet many people who aren’t gay and mentally ill. Maybe we try to find reasons that it’s better to feel the way we do. Like maybe I’m depressed but I can understand Siken. It’s some kind of solace.
What is “understanding” poetry anyway?