on beauty-wednesday

On page 153 there is a poem that Claire wrote titled On Beauty that is obviously extremely important because that is what the book is titled, but I was wondering what he significance of it was.  I'm not sure if it was important because it was read when the Dean was talking to Claire about the affair, or because of the content, but it is for some reason.  I think maybe that it said that beauty does not take away sadness, nor does not being beautiful.