"Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins

Born in 1941, Billy Collins is often spoken of as the most famous modern poet. He was named the United States Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003. Now he resides in New York teaching university classes at Stony Brook Southampton.

Introduction to Poetry

BY BILLY COLLINS

I ask them to take a poem   

and hold it up to the light   

like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem   

and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem’s room   

and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski   

across the surface of a poem

waving at the author’s name on the shore.

But all they want to do

is tie the poem to a chair with rope   

and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose   

to find out what it really means.

The poem "Introduction to Poetry" encapsulates the essence of how to analyze a poem. Collins stresses that it is important to look at some of the underlying messages within a poem, but only so far as to gain a better understanding of the message. In the last lines Collins writes, "They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means," emphasizing the fact that over-analysis can lead to making assumptions about the importance of certain details of the poem. Additionally this can take away from the readers enjoyment of the poem on a superficial level. This section of the poem is further emphasized by including as the last two lines so that it remains ingrained in the reader's mind. 

Earlier in the poem he writes about enjoying the poem through a variety of metaphors. He uses a comparison of "waterski[ng] across the surface of the poem,"  to communicate to the reader that perusing poetry should be a entertaining experience rather than a laborious act. Collins contributes to his argument about how poetry should be analyzed by leaving his poem straightforward and brief. This makes it so the reader is able to take his message to heart starting with his poem.

Billy Collins use of colloquial language as well as several couplets makes the poem an easy read. The details provided create a sense of imagery such as "waving at the author's name on the shore." Overall Collins created an easily accessible poem detailing the process for reading poetry that uses imagery to give it a lasting impression.