In writing poetry Billy Collins uses simple language to connect with the reader and convey a deeper meaning. This is done by his use of rhetorical question, relatable situations, and simple language. Billy Collins uses rhetorical question to connect with the reader and provoke deeper thought. In the poem Questions About Angels Billy Collins utilizes rhetorical question repetitively as seen here, “What goes on inside their luminous heads? Is there a wall/ these tall presences can look over and see hell?” (Collins 1137). By repeatedly asking questions Collins is provoking a chain of deeper thought among readers. He is forcing the reader to look past what is there and to see a possible hidden meaning behind the words. Billy Collins discusses in On Writing Questions About Angels” how at the close of the poem
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By choosing the wording of the poems careful Billy Collins is able to convey a deeper meaning but still make the poem understandable to the reader. As stated here, “A poem can start casually with something trivial and then develop significance along the way”(Collins 1138). When using simple and specific language in the poems Collins is able to convey a deeper meaning within the poem, yet still make it understandable. An example in the poem “Questions About Angels” Collins begins by saying, “Of all the questions you might want to ask/ about angels, the only one you ever hear/ is how many can dance on the head of a pin” (Collins 1137). By starting off with a simple question Collins makes it easy for the reader to understand what the poem will be about. As Collins states here, “ the easy entrée into a Collins poem belies its surprising, often profound, ending”(Billy Collins - Analysis). By starting out with simple language Collins is able to ease the reader into the deeper meaning and full complexity of the poem. Making it easier for the reader to connect to the poem
By choosing the wording of the poems careful Billy Collins is able to convey a deeper meaning but still make the poem understandable to the reader. As stated here, “A poem can start casually with something trivial and then develop significance along the way”(Collins 1138). When using simple and specific language in the poems Collins is able to convey a deeper meaning within the poem, yet still make it understandable. An example in the poem “Questions About Angels” Collins begins by saying, “Of all the questions you might want to ask/ about angels, the only one you ever hear/ is how many can dance on the head of a pin” (Collins 1137). By starting off with a simple question Collins makes it easy for the reader to understand what the poem will be about. As Collins states here, “ the easy entrée into a Collins poem belies its surprising, often profound, ending”(Billy Collins - Analysis). By starting out with simple language Collins is able to ease the reader into the deeper meaning and full complexity of the poem. Making it easier for the reader to connect to the poem