The written word, and the destruction of the workshop

The course description for poetry 222 (in the year 2003) states that there are certain myths that exist within poetry:

"• Myth #1: Poetry is and/or should be abstract.
• Myth #2: Poetry is and/or should be an expression of the deepest inner reaches of the poet's heart and need not be comprehensible to anyone else."
• Myth #3: Poetry is and/or should be open to any interpretation the reader wants to give it.

It goes on to say "the reason we must destroy these myths is that they promote laziness in the writer and incomprehensibility in the writing. The fact is that producing good poetry requires more chiseling and precision than any other form of writing and its aim should always be clear communication between a poet and his/her reader."

If this is taught at the 200 level, I'm curious as to why students at a 400 level cannot grasp these concepts. Granted, it took me years of professors writing questions like:
"What does this mean?"
"What is the significance of this?"
"What is at stake?"
"What is the relationship between the speaker and the 'you'?"

Don't get me wrong, there are a few talented, motivated, writers in my workshop who understand their craft. There are also those, who give amazing feedback. They take the time to go through each student's work and examine its potential. They then make comments on what is working with in the poem, and what could be improved.

I am frustrated with those that don't make the effort, those who think that a poem can get by on "pretty language". These poems tend to be abstract, a collection of beautiful lines that really don't add up to anything. So I sit there thinking I'm extremely dense, because I have no clue what's going on. "Is this about a bird? Or about the relationship between a mother and child? Or is it both?"...apparently it's about "the deconstruction of the home-life that exists in suburban American," or something along those lines. LAME!

I'm also frustrated with workshops being wasted on stupid stories, students brown-nosing ("Oh, Professor since your so smart can you tell us where the word 'queer' comes from"), pointless exercises (I'll give you some are helpful, but ones basing a poem on a word are not), or anything else that takes time from actual work shopping.

I'm uber p*ssed off, because today in workshop we spent 5 lousy minutes at the end of class going over my poem. I could have waited until next week(I lie). We could have taken time going over the content and the form without the teacher prompting students to find something wrong with it. They would have said it if we had more than 5 minutes, because they could see line by line what didn't' work. Or you know what would have been better? Actually getting down to work at the start of class. We're behind because people ask questions that have nothing to do with the course or subjects being discussed, because even when we're just going to do a "read through, no comments" the prof eventually has to make comments, and also the stories. Usually I like stories but sometimes you need to get to work...especially if you're behind!

End rant!