Metaphors And Similes In Introduction To Poetry By Billy Collins

Every mentor desires the same burning passion that they received upon their speciality from their student. Whether that passion is a sport or subject in school, every teacher wishes to place a flame in the student’s body. In “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins, Collins describes himself introducing poetry to a class of students, however Collins ideal scenario on students learning poetry is quite different from reality. Collins uses metaphors and similes to compare the traits of poetry, personification to describe poetry, in order to convey his message that poetry is a form of writing that requires an individual to interpret the meaning rather than having the message given to the students. To compare and contrast a poem to several …show more content…
Collins ideal image is for students to discover poetry like a color slide, the colors are only obtainable when you have brought it straight into a light and look into it. Understanding the complexity of poems, Collins shows great comparison to a color slide. Similarly to how a student discovers the colors after performing a task, Collins wants the students to discover poetry after careful evaluation. The purpose of these similes and metaphors was to indicate that the students are suppose to discover poetry when they are interested in poetry and it isn’t an obligation. Not only that, but Collins indicates that all senses must be aware of a poem. An ear pressed against a hive is an example that the poet wanted to show that discovering poetry is just like if …show more content…
However, in his poem “Introduction to Poetry”, Collins uses rhetorical devices to indicate the difference between what he imagines compares to what really occurs. Billy Collins’s use of rhetorical devices in order to convey his message that poetry is a complex form of writing that demands an individual to spend quality time in order to interpret the meaning, rather than having the message handed to