F07-250-Group2

="Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins line 4 ("or press an ear against its hive")=

Group 2: Samantha, Jamey, Aaron, Jennifer M
Facilitator: Jennifer Meyer Polisher: Jamey Ervin

__Expert move #1: identifying the figurative language__
In Billy Collins' poem "Introduction to Poetry" the speaker asks the reader to "press an ear against its hive" (line 4). Collins uses both imagery and a metaphor in this passage. The image presented is listening closely; the speaker wants the reader to use their sense of hearing and listen to the "hive" or poem to find meaning within it. This image also appeals to our sense of touch. Collins does not merely ask that we listen, but "press," making sure that we not only hear, but also feel the poem. The metaphor is a comparison of a hive to a poem.

__Expert move #2: exploring denotations__
An ear is literally a human body part used for listening, but there are many ways to listen. Collins wants us to listen carefully, blocking out other distractions. The word "press" means to exert steady weight or force against something. Collins could have used "touch" or "put" rather than press, but then we may not hear everything. If we only touch our ear to a hive we will pick up surrounding sounds as well as the noise from the hive itself.

A hive is a home for bees and is where they store their honey. There is a lot going on inside a hive, you can feel the rumble of the busy bees moving around and hear their buzzing. You have to get close to hear the buzzing and even closer to feel the rumble. A hive must also be handled with care; the slightest disturbance produces unpleasant consequences. The treasure (honey) can be removed from the hive by someone who knows what they are doing and handles the hive appropriately.

__Expert move #3: unpacking the figurative and connotative meanings__
Just as a hive is a home for bees, a poem is a home for the speaker's words and ideas. The care that is needed to discover what is going on inside a hive is the same care that Collins wants us to use when reading a poem. There is often more to a poem than a person can understand from one quick reading. To fully understand what is going on inside a poem you have to get past the text and into the subtext. A hive holds a hidden treasure of honey inside; a poem holds a hidden treasure inside the text. Like honey from a hive, Collins wants us to carefully extract the full meaning of each poem we read. Collins invites us to "press an ear against its hive," not merely get near to it or lean towards it, but apply pressure so that we don't miss a thing. Obviously, pressing our ear against a poem would prove futile, but we can hear a poem by reading it aloud. Listening to the sounds of the words, pauses and rhythm can bring us closer to feeling the emotions of a poem.

__Expert move #4: recontextualizing within the whole poem__
The main theme is how to read a poem. The speaker wants to help us understand how to get to the meaning of a poem without digging too deep and possibly missing what the author wants us to see. He wants the reader to compare and contrast all the symbols, metaphors, similes, and imagery within the poem and to use our senses when interpreting it. For example, he asks us to "feel the walls for a light switch," using our sense of touch (8). He also asks us "to take a poem / and hold it up to the light; get it from all angles and see it from all sides (1-2). There is an image provided for each of our senses except for taste. He wants us to use close reading, but in a natural way, rather than "torture a confession out of it" or "beating it with a hose" (14-15).