Form as Function: “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins

Billy Collins is a former two-term Poet Laureate of the United States (Billy), and the creator of the “Poetry 180” program that encourages high school students in the appreciation of poetry. The first item presented in this program is his own appropriately titled “Introduction to Poetry” written in 1988 (Poetry). A professor of English at Lehman College for more than three decades (Billy), Collins’ interest in education and the appreciation of poetry is apparent in his poems. His writing tends to be clear and straightforward, accessible and enjoyable to the beginner and long time poetry reader alike. “Introduction to Poetry” is prime example of this goal.

This poem, about the appreciation of poetry, stands also as an effective introduction to poetry in and of itself. On the face of it, this is a simple comment from the point of view of a teacher observing students in an Introduction to Poetry class. He bemoans the fact that those who treat poetic interpretation as a search for facts and figures, for the answer to the question “but what does it really mean?” are destroying what they hope to understand. Poetry is interpretive, he tells us; it is free flowing and imaginative. It is written in the language of symbols and dreams, not in absolutes. He tells us this in an effective and amusing way. Digging deeper, however, we find that in the structure of the poem itself, he is giving us an accessible example to accompany the lesson.

Formality is not apparent in this poem, neither in its content nor in its structure. Rather, it is unconfined; the line breaks exist to allow the speaker to maintain a more pleasing meter and consistent line length, rather than to adhere to any specific poetic form. There is one line, however, that in its structure lends a clue to the poem’s deeper purpose: “or press an ear against its hive” (Collins 1087). This line is significant for two reasons. First, it is the only line in the poem that stands on its own, though it is not a complete sentence in itself. Second, it is the first of a string of increasingly unconventional metaphors.

Here is where the poem’s greater purpose is revealed. The preceding line compares a poem to a photographic side, in the form of a simile - “like a color slide” (Collins 1087) - but clearly the poem is not really a slide. It is merely “like” a slide. Even for the poetically illiterate, this is a simple idea to grasp. We use similes every day and inherently understand them. Metaphors, on the other hand, can be confusing to those of a non-poetic, literal bent. This line, then, gives the reader a warning about what is coming next. Set off by itself the line must be read deliberately, allowing the unprepared reader a moment to consider.

What follows is a series of increasingly imaginative images, culminating in a fairly complex metaphor: “I want them to water-ski across the surface of a poem, waving at the author’s name on the shore” (Collins 1087). While referring to the poem as a body of water, the author’s name is personified and acknowledged, though the reader remains at the center. This imagery is bright an enthusiastic, welcoming us to come and join the fun, assuring us that this is how it should be.

This instruction is clearly the author’s way of telling us what to do when reading poetry, and what not to do. He compares assigning a poem a specific meaning to torturing “a confession out of it” and “beating it with a hose” (Collins 1088). In other words, in the world of this poem, this type of behavior is a crime against art, and maybe against humanity. The structure of the poem thus reinforces its message. It succinctly says to the reader, “This is how to interpret poetry, and this is how not to interpret poetry.” This poem isn’t only about an “Introduction to Poetry” class; it is itself an introduction to poetry.

I was immediately drawn to this poem for a number of reasons. Most obvious is the imagery, which is wonderful. Listening to the “hive” of a poem, water-skiing over its surface, groping in its “room” for illumination, and all the rest are interesting ways to present the enjoyment of understanding poetry. I often fear that I have too analytical an outlook to really enjoy poems on this level, but I do have an appreciation of poetic language and symbolism. I feel the language really gives some insight into how a more poetic personality may feel when lost in a poem.

I am guilty of having plumbed a poem for its “true” meaning. I want to understand, but it often seems that I’ve missed the boat, that I am left alone in ignorance while everyone else “gets it.” I say to myself: “I’m an artist, I should understand these things!” I then proceed to torture poems to learn “The Truth” and in doing so miss the point completely. After reading this poem, and taking its message to heart, I will have to change my approach.

Poetry is a powerful but elusive art form. From The Bible, to the writings of Homer and Aristotle, to the “Gettysburg Address” and Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream,” many of the most important and influential ideas in history have been expressed in poetic language. Poetic imagery can be exciting and memorable, but for many it is also confusing and inaccessible. Those who never learn to properly appreciate poetry risk not only a less enriched life, but a life ignorant of the lessons of the past. “Introduction to Poetry” is the perfect call to the uninitiated and the misguided alike to take a different approach to the appreciation of poetry.

Works Cited

• “Billy Collins.” Wikipedia. 08 November 2008. 09 November 2008
• Collins, Billy. “Introduction to Poetry.” Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. Sixth edition. New York: McGraw Hill, 2008. 1087-1088.
• “Poetry 180.” Library of Congress. 09 November 2008

Tags: Poem, Analysis