A Poem by Billy Collins

From PoemHunter:

Introduction To Poetry

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

More by Collins here.  [Thanks to Jim Culleny.]

Comments

[Akbi]

I love that poem. Since first encountering it in a poetry textbook several years ago, I re-read often that part about tying the poem to a chair and beating a confession out of it...my instinct is to always do just that!

[Edward Williams]

What a terrible poet Billy Collins is! What a jokester. He must be fun at a cocktail party, though. What an affable fellow! His students must love him. He is so non-threatening! He gives hope to blandness, to clowns. He is a riot!

[Hootsbuddy]

I first heard Billy Collins as a guest of Garrison Keillor on PHC. He either read or recited his poem The Lanyard and I knew he was a kindred spirit.

[Michael Lambe]

I just came across Billy Collins's poetry recently - and I think it's wonderful. There are some pretty cool animated videos of his work up on youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JWTNY

So much fun! Enjoy!