Thesaurus is a poet's worst enemy, do you agree?

Question: Thesaurus is a poet's worst enemy, do you agree!?

I remember when I used to look up words that sounded deeper or more educated, but now I've learned that such an endeavor, while it may broaden your knowledge of language, does nothing to make the poem better!. I believe if a simple word cannot convey the meaning you desire, it is not the fault of the word, but your message, in that it may not have been developed enough!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I do not agree entirely with what you ask!. A thesaurus can be a great boon to the poet if used wisely!. The poet must ask themselves "Is this word that I have chosen best suited to describing what I want to say!?'
It is not a case of using this aid so that one might use more difficult words, but to use a much more suitable word or set of words!.

Take the word "endeavor" in your remarks, the thesaurus suggests also "effort"!. Now your remark might say "but now I've learned that to make such an effort!.!.!.", but you chose to use the word endeavor which is a much more suitable word!.

A thesaurus is there for the sole purpose of improvement and not to baffle!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I agree with your account of the perils of thesauri!. They can get us in big trouble!. However, my answer to your question contains a certain element of "no!." There have been times when for some reason a simple word escaped me!. I knew a word similar to it, but this word did not do the trick!. Words grouped together in a thesaurus do not always mean the exact same thing, so it's in cases where I have one of these "not quite right" words that I turn to a thesaurus, using that word as my research point!. Often, despite the known word's inability to do the job, the word I am actually looking for is within the word's entry, or within a single generation of that word!. I think, in these cases, thesaurus use is not so bad!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, I agree for the most part!. Some words are better than others - the simpler, the better so that the reader him/herself does not have to look up the word in order to understand the message you are trying to send!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

No, it also depends largely on your audience!.Www@QuestionHome@Com