Experiencing Poems

Hello Bloggerclass,

The time has arrived to experience, read and write poems, and I hope that you will be as pleased as I am! And yes, April is Poetry Month. Let’s begin with “Introduction to Poetry” by the contemporary American poet, Billy Collins. This piece can help us to begin thinking about what poetry is.

Please comment on the following:
a) What words/phrases jump out at you? What impressions do these words create?
b) What do you think the author is saying about poetry?

Here it is. I’m eager to share thoughts!

Introduction to Poetry

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.

—Billy Collins