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In “Introduction to Poetry,” Billy Collins tries to help readers understand how to read poetry. For this post, you are going to discuss what you came away from the poem with. In order to do that, look at the imagery, figurative language, poetic/literary devices, word choice, tone(s), and theme(s) in the poem. You may not need to discuss all of these, but at least some of these elements should come up in your discussion of meaning for the poem.
Then discuss your own relationship to poetry. Is it something you enjoy? Have you read it outside of class or only the poems chosen by teachers? Do you like musical lyrics? Are those the same as poetry? Would you rather read fiction? Do you think we should beat poems with a hose? Or does meaning depend on reader’s understanding as opposed to the poet’s intent? Of course, you can discuss other elements, but these are some questions to get you started in thinking about how you feel about poetry.
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.