Billy Colllins Analysis

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“The Use of Imagery in Billy Collins ‘Walking Across the Atlantic’” All through Billy Collins’ poem, “Walking Across the Atlantic”, the use of imagery is used in a variety of ways. It appears that the writer is alone but content even in a crowd, a holiday crowd. The writer seems to have a feeling of peace and contentment. He appears to have no worries, only a free floating weightless feeling (expansivepoetryonline.com). The waves, water, walking across the Atlantic to Spain are the writer’s expression of tranquility, a peace within, alone and in harmony with all of creation (poemhunter.com). The writer could be dreaming, or he also could be experiencing for the first time an acute sense of well-being. There are many different ideas you could interpret from this poem all of which indicate a unique enjoyment of the ocean. “He has the ability to find poetic fodder in experiences others overlook,” said Robert Darling. “Walking across the Atlantic” was published January 13, 2003. Although, the actual date Billy Collins began writing it and the day he finished it are inexact, people believe it wasn’t long before its publication date (poems-and-quotes.com).“Walking Across the Atlantic” is one of Billy Collins most popular poems and a very popular poem in America itself. “Walking Across the Atlantic” is featured in the collection “Sailing Around the Room: New and Selected Poems” (poetryfoundation.org). There are many different ideas of what inspired Billy Collins to write this poem, some including an actual encounter with walking along the ocean and several things running through his mind, or others say he may have written it when he himself felt lonely. With Billy Collins still being alive, “Walking Across the Atlantic” and many of his other poems are very popular at the moment especially since they are a lot more recent than other famous poems in the United States

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