They begin beating it with a hose To find out what it really means. The poem “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins is about exploring the beauty of the world with the use of sound and mind using imagination. It introduces the exploration of the world through a different point of view. The tone of the poem is beauty, imagination, and misunderstanding. This poem means that people need to look at the
Explain the use of poetry in reaching out to an audience. What makes poetry work better than a short story in “illustrating” the poet’s thoughts?. Poetry is because of its length just a few verses can captivate the human mind with the thoughts, feeling and emotions that a poet can create for an audience. We feel things, see things more effectively in this style of writing as the poet makes us imaging living every single sentence in our own minds. Poems can make you laugh, cry, think or be silent as we ponder the words that are written.
Once you have surveyed some of the poetry available online, your task is to choose what you consider to be “the best poem in the world.” As you read, think about the poetic elements we have examined throughout this unit. The poem you choose should have clear examples of as many of these devices as you can find, but do not expect that you will be able to find a poem with all of them! You will be required to write an analysis (two to three pages in length) of the poem in which you discuss the poetic devices found in the piece and demonstrate how these devices work together to create an overall effect. Submit this analysis to your teacher. Remember: it is not a poetic treasure hunt in which you simply say, “Here’s a simile!
Overview and Context The poem might be viewed as a literary exercise in logic as much as a ‘love’ poem’. Marvell’s speaker uses a tripartite structure to follow his argument to its conclusion, effectively forming a ‘syllogism’. This poem is also a prime example of the ‘sex-death’ juxtaposition (which critics such as Roland Barthes have explored in more detail), also a marked characteristic of Romeo and Juliet. Whilst many students will be able to understand the ideas contained within this poem, a very rough ‘translation’, such as the one which follows, may be useful. Click on the images to enlarge them.
The poems in this section have to do with “Ars Poetica.” This means The Art of Poetry in Latin. The poets of this collection of poems are actually using poetry to answer the questions of what poetry is, how it should be written, and how it should be read. There is one poem specifically that I felt agreed with my views of poetry and that is Billy Collins’ “Introduction of Poetry.” In this poem, I feel like he is trying to say that people try too hard and over-analyze poems. They sometimes try to force a meaning into a poem because they think that there has to be a reason that poem was written and it has to have some kind of deeper meaning of an issue going on in the world. I think that the end of the poem really points this out with the words “torture of confession out of it” and “they begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means.” I think that Collins is trying to tell people that they should just read poetry and enjoy it.
The first few stanza's of the poem are used to set up the poem. A basic straight forward description of the character is given in a somewhat child-like fashion. The description of Miss Gee is set out so it seems as though someone is telling a story to a child. This idea is further reinforced by the fact that the tempo and rhythm seem to be like that of a happy child's poem. The juxtaposition of the tempo and the actual context of the poem serve to create a strange tone and some black humor in the poem.
Explication of Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son” Literature often requires a certain type of read. Specifically speaking about poetry, the reader will often miss a theme or important aspect if read incorrectly. Poetry, though shorter than stories, often times call for a closer read. The author’s intent can easily be misread without the correct judgment. It is important to note any literary element used in the structure of the piece, because though it translates as effortless, it is done with great intent.
This ideology of writing is an attempt to establish a secure or ultimate meaning of a text. Generally, when reading poetry, one does not try to find the purest form of a word. There is always an obvious meaning to the poem on the surface, when each word is taken at face value. So, the superficial meaning of the poem does not change drastically from read to read. However, in each poem there are always several layers of meaning that exist for all readers to discover.
It can be used to provoke imagery, which then allows the reader to relate to what the poet has to say and also to make something which may have been perceived as abstract into something which is more understandable. Jane Hirshfield has demonstrated how the human body can be used in poetry in her poem, ‘A Hand’ in which she claims that the human hand is not just a hand but rather something deeper. Walt Whitman is also a poet who uses the human body to convey a certain message to the readers. In his poem, ‘I Sing the Body Electric’ the human body is celebrated and he suggests it is an important aspects of people coming together. The poem ‘A Hand’ appears quite a simple poem at first glance, only being eighteen lines long, and the majority of these lines are quite short, however after having read the poem there appears to be a much deeper aspect, to this simplistic looking poem.
Waltrina D. Kirkland Mullins stated that: “Poetry is a blend of lyrical, rhythmic, kinesthetic motion that draws young learners in. The use of words and thoughts packaged in musical syllables and special structures helps to create a welcoming literary environment for even the most disinterested child” In my opinion, the purpose of poetry to young readers is to improve their reading skills, promote literacy, and create excitement and understanding for the literacy work. According to Gary R. Hess, The definition of "elements of poetry" is "a set of instruments used to create a poem." They help bring imagery and emotion to poetry, stories, and dramas. Some examples of elements of poetry that both share educational and entertainment attributes are Alliteration, Rhyme and Rhythm.