A Goal of Poetry

What could be more real than that which is literal, when literal denotes facts and the basic meaning of words? Such responsibilities of language as these appear quite direct, and there is something attractive about them, especially for more practical people.

What should we say of poetry, which does not have a reputation for being particularly literal? Is it some flight into naive fantasy? Why say "puffing, heavenly pistol smoke" when "the clouds are grey" will do?

Perhaps poetic devices like metaphors, similes, and personification are more fit at expressing appreciation than literal language is. Appreciation is a virtue. Careful observation could be understood as being a goal of poetry.