Isn't that enough?

I remember once defying an English teacher in one of my English classes. I refused to memorize a poem. Because I thought it a waste of time. Because I saw no sense in reciting a poem from memory. Now, if the teacher had told me the assignment was to tell in my own words what that poem meant -- well, then I could understand and accept that assignment. But the teacher was allowing so many of us to get by with just being able to repeat the poem, and not truly understand it. In essence, I was asking for permission to translate a poet's words. Isn't that enough? --Jim Broede