Eating Poetry by Mark Strand

This has to be the craziest poem I have read in a while, but I am completely drawn to it!I knew it wasn't literal from the beginning but I could not for the life of me deduce a meaning for the metaphor. I read several interpretations online but none really fit for me. So I came up with this: this poem is about a man who has discovered poetry. He is "crazy" about them, hence the image of a man eating poetry with ink running down his face. Each stanza seems to have a tone shift. The second one I think represents us as the reader. The librarian, or us, judge or gawk at this man in such a crazy state over a few simple words. It's something we are not accustomed to. The readers are not supposed to have a strong opinion on poetry. The third stanza is where it gets really weird. I think Strand uses the dog as a symbol of critics of poetry; this could also be us as readers, but more likely it is those with premeditated opinions. The dogs continue to the third stanza violently attacking the man who just discovered poetry and the library is the observer, still not completely taking a side. She is frightened, unsure which side to take until the man turns into a dog as well?? I don't think the symbol of the dog continues as a critic. He starts by licking the librarians hand, and she is frightened by him. He has transformed and is trying to share his new found passion with her. In the last stanza he says, "I am a new man." He snarls, and then "romp(s) with joy in the bookish dark." Hmm?? So I am thinking he has transformed with his new discovery and he is determined to not give up this passion for anything, not even for the all mighty librarian. He has conquered himself and accepted his new joys. I don't know for sure. This poem was a bit of a stretch, but I still really enjoyed it!