msh+D.C.+Berry's+Higher+Purpose

The author's higher purpose is that he wants poetry to be taught in a way that the students are really "swimming" in it. He is probably thinking about the way poetry was taught to him and saying that this way just can't be fun. As an author of poetry a good way to teach it is especially important to him. This poem can influence teachers, because they want to have a method that motivates students, especially for poetry. D.C. Berry does a great job teaching these methods to the world in a very well-written poem.