The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Collins, Billy. “Introduction to Poetry.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46712/introduction-to-poetry.

Note that all parenthetical citations within the guide refer to the lines of the poem from which the quotations are taken.

“Introduction to Poetry” was written while Billy Collins was emerging into his poetic career, having been an English professor at Lehman College in New York for many years. This poem expresses his frustration at the rigors of academia and how they constrict a student’s ability to live inside a piece of art. It follows a professor who teaches a poetry course and encourages their students to examine the experience of poetry, using a number of metaphors. The students, driven by the need for measurable results in their studies, take a more confrontational approach to learning.