On Billy Collins 'On Turning Ten'

An Analysis On Billy Collins’ “On Turning Ten” “On Turning Ten” consists of many forms of poetic devices and figurative language, such as hyperboles, metaphors, euphony, cacophony, and mood to present the more bitter aspects of the bittersweet experience of growing up. The entire poem uses hyperbolic language to stress the sadness of the speaker. Collins uses a plethora of metaphors that show the juxtaposition of his childlike wonder he held when he was younger, versus the cold, bitter outlook he holds in present day. The writer uses a contrast of euphony and cacophony throughout the poem to highlight the change in the speaker’s life. All of these devices create various deep moods of despondent nostalgia for the reader. The hyperbolic nature of the poem emphasizes the misery of the speaker. Although the speaker is only ten, the way he speaks is resemblant to an old miserable man who looks back on his wasted youth. If the writer was not being hyperbolic, then I would confidently diagnose him with severe depression. When discussing his tribulation, the speaker says it is “something worse than any stomach ache” and compares it to multiple illnesses, such as measles, mumps, and chickenpox. This is an outrageous dramatization that shows how deeply disturbed the speaker is. To say his pain is comparable to horrific illnesses emphasizes how profoundly upset the speaker is. At the beginning of the fourth column, the speaker reveals his thoughts to the audience, saying “This is