Billy Collins

After reading “Care and Feeding” by Billy Collins my interpretation of the theme turned out to be different. At first, I thought it was just about happiness and the importance of a man’s best friend. In the first stanza, Collins compares the lifespan of a human and a dog by noting the simple needs that a dog seeks in order to be satisfied. Collins goes into the next two stanzas by specifying that in order to satisfy himself he will need food and water. Ultimately, he finishes off by stating that in addition to food, he will need someone to care and make sure that he is still there. That is where I failed to notice that the theme depicted something much greater than the daily life of a dog. Collins uses various poetic techniques such as, irony, …show more content…
The most important idea that Collins is trying to illustrate to us is that our happiness should be measured by the love and care of others, while appreciating the basic necessities for survival. I believe he portrays the image of a dog because in order for a dog to be happy it needs food, and the care of someone else. Collins is illustrating a simplistic happiness that should be appreciated by all. He believes that being content with the basics in life will help one achieve that happiness as long as everything in life is appreciated. He points out that at some point one will realize that love and care is an important part of happiness. Simplistic happiness branches off by the people we surround ourselves that help us grow to reach a fulfilled life.
This poem helps us appreciate the small things in life; our health and the kindness that one receives. These aspects help us reach contentment. I believe this poem is not about the life of a dog it is about how one defines a contentment. Collins starts by illustrating a dog that is turning a year older who is happy as long as he goes for a walk and lays at the feet of his companion. He does this to challenge the readers by having them to think about the satisfaction of their own life. This ultimately shows us contentment and how the human thought process defines happiness as we grow …show more content…
Clearly stating that the basic needs of love and nourishment is what keeps us growing throughout our lives. It is love that keeps us alive because of self-worth and the idea of being an important aspect in someone’s life. Moreover, it is the idea of being comfortable with what one has, obtaining happiness in what is already there and not what one wishes there to be. I believe these are the ideas that Billy Collins was trying to illustrate within his poem. In order to make this a reflection of his life, he uses a companion, a pet, to give his audience a different perspective in recognizing these