Billy Collins Introduction To Poetry Essay

Some people cringe at the thought of poetry, mostly because they are afraid that they will not understand the intended meaning hiding behind the words. Because of this fear, the reader often avoids poetry entirely or gives up without ever really trying to grasp what is meant by its expression. The reader might not be intimidated by poetry, if there were a set of instructions, spelled out with step-by-step how to’s to help guide them in the right direction. “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins is a short poem with only 16 lines, and is written in free verse. While the poem in short in length, the message is abundant in meaning. In the poem “Introduction to Poetry”, Billy Collins teaches us to conquer our fears of reading poetry by using the one thing that we are afraid of to in order to achieve it.
As the the title would suggest, “Introduction to Poetry” is an introductory lesson into the literary world of expression and meaning. In the first stanza of the poem, the speaker asks the reader to address their fears by first giving poetry a try “I ask them to

“I say drop a mouse into a poem / and watch him probe his way out” (4-5) Once you start reading, you will eventually figure it out, and find that it in not as difficult as you have made out to be, and ultimately you will survive the maze.
In “Introduction to Poetry”, Billy Collins wants to share his passion and love of poetry. It takes work on the part of the reader to comprehend the meaning behind the words, and often times we feel the initial hesitation and apprehension by the lyrics we at first glance don’t understand. Billy Collins shows us that by confronting our fears, and giving poetry a chance, we will not only survive the battle, but possibly enjoy the beauty and adventure along the way. With an open mind, and dedicated time and effort, poetry is nothing to