Grishka--my point was that I didn't see any "poetry" in what actually happened. It may be true that what actually happens never has any poetry to it(making my observation a fairly safe one;-)).

Whether or not that is exactly true, You and Big Al are both perfectly right when you say documentary truth lacks the elegance of a well told tale. And of course, the personality and tastes of the story teller shape the story.

It was once the fashion for poets to retell the same stories--the Arthurian Legends being a prime example, which gives evidence to this idea--my favorite, the story of Percival and the quest for the Grail , changes quite a lot in tone, detail, and intent, depending on the author. Even the Grail gets changed.