how do you dissect or study a poem

[billy]

whether it needs a bit of a key from the writer so that it can be unlocked -- this is the case with a lot of very personal poems, the meaning is obvious to the writer but there are no hints for anyone else, it's more of an inside joke situation.

can these types of poetry be deciphered? i'm usually okay with a narrative poem. for me it's the metaphorical stuff that passes me by. like you i read a piece more than once or twice. sometimes i get frustrated because i don't get it. normally i look for a key word or phrase and work backwards.