Why is poetry important (or not)?

This is all very interesting, and I largely agree with you, especially concerning a poet's expression of the unconsciousness mirroring that of the surrounding culture.  I disagree some in terms of poetry being less diluted (or more explicit) than music or film - those two mediums only have more tools to work with, and exceptional poetry can be equally ambiguous without losing the power of its vision or expression.  Still, a fascinating subject.  Wasn't Kafka actually Bohemian?  I think Prague would call him one of their own, despite the shadow of Berlin over that whole era.