"Scholars get their knowledge with conscientious thoroughness along projected lines of logic; poets theirs cavalierly and as it happens in and out of books. They stick to nothing deliberately, but let what will stick to them like burrs where they walk in the fields." Robert Frost, source unknown.

Although Pale Fire, the poem, is hardly poetry, at least not as I know it (although Sam Johnson might make a case for it), VN writes his prose as a poet would. Thus Pale Fire, the book, is a poem, in which nothing is stuck to deliberately. But bits stick to the author, like burrs. Progressing along sholarly lines of logic is therefore doomed, I fear.

Incidentally, your real name wouldn't be Emerald, would it?

All the best,

CHW