How Is Imagery Used In Billy Collins Poetry

Billy Collins uses imagery in his poems to create intimacy with the reader. He uses common objects to make his poetry relatable, and “frequently addresses the reader directly, thereby establishing what he has described as a ‘temporary companionship’” (Poetry Archive). The goal of Collins poetry is to relate to others, and to let people know that there is someone who understands them. Collins uses imagery in his poem Purity to explain what purity looks like, and to make the theme of the poem tangible for his readers. Collins wrote this poem like a story. The imagery he uses creates vivid details, similar to a fictional story. In the first verse of the poem, Collins gives the what, when, where, why, and how of the poem, and he does this through images. He gives the image of him sitting in his office on a Wednesday afternoon. Collins is completely focused, and wrinkles on his forehead appear as he tries to mentally separate his body and soul. He wrote Purity so people could visualize the process of writing a poem step by step. The more specific Collins gets with his detail, the easier it is for the reader to visual what he is trying to say through the poem.

He again emphasizes simplicity later in the poem when Collins says people need “just the absolute essentials, no flounces.” Collins enjoys writing “in the late afternoon” and “particularly (on) Wednesdays.” These are all details that are common to many people. Even if readers know nothing about Collins, they can still picture him walking into the kitchen, waiting for water to boil, and nonchalantly walking to his desk to