Analysis Of Billy Collins 'Poem Statues In The Park'

In the poem, “Statues in the Park,” author Billy Collins demonstrates that to truly achieve fulfillment in life, people must take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to them. As the character walks through a public park, he stops in front of a specific statue, a statue that tells the story of an individual who has passed from this world:
“You who had once instructed me, in the code of these noble poses.
A horse rearing up with two legs raised, you told me, meant the rider had died in battle”(Collins 4-7).
The motif of statue poses indicates the different types of fulfilment people reach at the end of their lives. When two legs were lifted on a statue, it meant they died with honor in a battle. The battle is symbolic for life and the man who died struggling for what he believes is the goal in his life meant he died fulfillingly by taking advantage of every chance he gets. Besides motif, Collins reveals fulfilment by using a negative tone in the poem. After the character analyzes the lives of the nobles, he ponders about the lives of the ones who became weaker: …show more content…
The author uses diction like “accident”, “murdered”, “wounds”, “drowned”, and “silently”, to create a negative tone towards life. This negative tone emphasizes how some have left their world behind without achieving the possible dreams, opportunities, and happiness that would have completed their lives and make them feel fulfilled with what they have done. Lastly, the author uses structure to support the theme of fulfillment. At the end of the poem, the character finally realizes that he has not taken all of the opportunities in his life but knows that his time is almost up:
“Down on my knees, eyes