Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins
As the title suggests, Billy Collins' Introduction to Poetry is a short, concise, and scholarly piece that exposes readers to the art form of poetry. The speaker, who seems to be a poem guru, tries to teach the piece's readers, whom he believes are novices, how to treat and appreciate poetry properly. He outlines some of the techniques that beginners can use to decode the true essence of a poem within the stanzas. He implores them to hear the music, imagine, and feel the material. He resents the fact that most people ignore the intricate detail in the poem and use crude methods such as 'beating it with a hose' to get the meaning (Collins). Although the author utilizes an unorthodox teaching method, the real significance of the poem is the education of poetry analysis as he delivers a pertinent lesson on how to study poetry to go beyond shallow analysis and get to the true, deeper meaning.
Themes within the Poem
The themes within the poem contribute to its overall scholastic sense. From its very beginning, the exploratory theme is apparent from the author's emphasis on the use of senses such as touch, sight, and sound to study poetry. He asks readers to hold up the poem to the light to see it better, to press an ear against it to get its sound and to feels its walls before getting to the light switch (Collins). The theme of education is apparent from the title. Several beginner courses are titled in a similar manner. The author wrote the poem to educate readers on the steps to take to study a poem or poetry in general. He seems frustrated by the standard methods that most readers utilize and seeks to stir them towards the appreciation of the art represented by poetry. The appreciation of art is also a theme that contributes towards the scholastic meaning. From his words, readers can clearly see that the author holds poetry with the highest regard. Unlike the novices that he attempts to advise, for him poetry goes beyond simple words on paper. It can be seen, heard and felt. It should be enjoyed and experienced for the right meaning to shine through not subjected to crude methods that solve the puzzle. The amalgamation of these themes makes Introduction to Poetry an educational piece.
Poetic Devices and Figurative Language
There are various poetic devices and figurative language that contribute to the meaning of this poem. The author uses free verse instead of a preset pattern which gives him the freedom to express his feelings on the matter being discussed. Elements of the structure and meter are also utilized to emphasize the meaning. For instance, the second stanza is comprised of one line which is written in a regular meter to highlight the words. The poem's speaker is the author, Billy Collins, an outspoken supporter of the arts, especially poetry. The use of his voice as an authority on the subject as well as the deviation from the terms used in a typical poetry class such as analyze to see, feel and hear inspires readers to take a different view of poetry. The author also varies the setting, form a dark room, to an ocean, a shore, and a torture chamber to illustrate how the use of the senses can take a reader inside a poem's setting. The use of imagery is the ultimate illustration of the message within the poem. The poem is equated to a color slide that should be held up to light to be seen correctly. The mouse navigating a maze illustrates how the reader should immerse themselves in the poem until they can follow the lines and content to get to the end, its meaning. The tying up of the poem and beating it with a hose symbolizes the unnecessary torture that these beautiful pieces are subjected to, while it could be as enjoyable as waterskiing while waving to the author's name at the shore.
Conclusion
Overall, although the title is adamant about it, Billy Collins utilized different themes, poetic devices, and figurative language to make his core goal for writing the poem clear. He hopes to teach readers the proper way to get to the meaning of a poem.
Works Cited
Collins, Billy. “Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins.” Poetry Foundation, 1996, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/46712.
