Not always true about poetry, Mod. The use of metaphor sometimes...

Not always true about poetry, Mod. The use of metaphor sometimes is aggravating but if a poet cannot be thoroughly understood by his audience then he's failed. One might look at Ezra Pound for an example of both. Some of his cantos are bloody unreadable but some of his poetry -or his translations from chinese, are bloody near sublime BECAUSE they are immediately understood. And there is nothing obscure in any of his mate's (T.S. Eliot) "Lovesong of Prufrock" poem.
I'd say the aim of the poet should be immediate comprehension of an important message, with the best use of language. "Best use," meaning the ability to draw vivid images and evoke intense sensations -immediately!
IMHO