F07-250-Group4

="Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins lines 9-11 ("I want them to waterski / across the surface of a poem / waving at the author's name on the shore")=

Group 4: Kamie and Michael
Facilitator: //Michael// Polisher: //Kamie Rozema//

__Expert move #1: identifying the figurative language__
In the Billy Collins's poem "Introduction to Poetry," the speaker wants readers to "waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore (9-11). In this passage, Collins's speaker compares the surface of the water to the surface of a poem creating an interesting metaphor. The word waterski refers to the act of a reader traveling across the lines of a poem with care, but having fun too. Also the practice of waving is an acknowledgement to someone. While it is not possible to waterski across poetry or would it make any sense to wave at someone's name along the beach, "waterski" and "wave" provide imagery to the poem. Through imagery, "waterski" transforms reading into an exciting and thrilling sport, where everyone wants to participate. Another element that Collins' uses is alliteration to emphasize the verbs in the lines, "want", "waterski" ,and "waving". These action words elicit a physical response from the reader, to read with energy and purpose. In other words, the speaker encourages readers to become empowered in their literary reading, to tingle with excitement in the reading process.

__Expert move #2: exploring denotations__
One of the first words that prove to be an interesting choice by the author, is the word water-ski. This is a summer activity, where an individual is pulled behind a boat sporting a pair of skis and hanging on to a tether. The water-skier is pulled at great speeds across the surface of the water, generally enjoying the spray of water and the challenge to stay afloat. This skill takes practice and perseverance to be successful. Also skiing is dependent upon the person pulling the tow, so one is reliant on the other. Collins's speaker compares the act of waterskiing to a reader reading a poem. The ride across the "surface of a poem" can be thrilling and exciting.

Another interesting choice of words is the line "waving at the author's name" (11). Often at the beach or shore, people do acknowledge each other by a wave as they pass by on the water. Waving is an act of recognition, of saying hello to a friend, or sharing a greeting in a happy manner. Also, the ability to ski and take your hand off the tow demonstrates a show of confidence or an act of audacity. Waving could be compared to the sport of reading poetry; after you have done it for a while it becomes a pleasurable experience. Collins' metaphor emphasizes the ability of a reader to recognize an author's work and the reader salutes the author with a wave. While knowing the author's background and experiences can add to the interest of the poem, the process of "unpacking" literature is for each of us to enjoy on our own. The reader congratulates the author's ability to share something so enjoyable by waving. In kind, the author is pleased to watch us enjoy a piece of their literary work.

Finally, the literal definitions of the words "across" and "surface" add some interest to the poem. For example, the word "across" in the poem means to reach over or to bridge a gap from one side to another. This could mean reading from left to right in a poem and making literary connections with the words. Also, the word "surface" refers to the top of something, a superficial or external plane that exists on an item. The speaker is referring to reading the lines of the poem and not delving too deep as to loose sight of the pleasurable aspects of literature.

__Expert move #3: unpacking the figurative and connotative meanings__
Collins's speaker is saying that he wants readers to enjoy poems, as if you were someone enjoying a sport. The speaker wants readers to approach a poem as if they are going to participate in a fun activity. Collins' uses the metaphor of "waterski across the surface of a poem" to provide an image of readers fluidly reading across the words (9-10). The lines of a poem flow purposefully across the surface of the page, providing a thrilling ride. The speaker implores readers to savor the fluid movement a poem can provide. A poem is to be read and to be enjoyed for the beauty that it has on the superficial level, or "surface". While reading with care and purpose is important, a reader's intent shouldn't be to "torture a confession" from the mysterious depths (14). Collins's speaker did not select scuba diving to use in his metaphor; instead he wanted the image to be of someone happily traveling over the top of the water. Through this image, the act of reading becomes less of a task and more of a sport to entice someone to want to try. Laughter and gaiety almost always accompany an activity of this kind and the speaker uses this to demonstrate that a poem should be thoroughly enjoyed.

Waving is an acknowledgment of someone familiar, as if the reader recognized the literary work of the author. Also, the act of waving is to hail a job well done, the reader loves the literary work and he wants the author to know. In return the "author's name" provides a sense of pleasure to the reader, saluting the author's literary work that brought such joy and thrill. The author' work is familiar to the reader and the reader wants to show off his literary abilities through a brash move on the part of the skier, "waving at the author's name." (11). Furthermore, the speaker is saying that to recognize an author's name should not promote an ill feeling within the bowels of your stomach, but should be joyous pleasure at the sight of their name.

__Expert move #4: recontextualizing within the whole poem__
In Billy Collins's poem, the speaker wants readers to savor poetry and to enjoy the experiences that a poem can offer. Collins' use of metaphors and imagery in his poem provide interesting perspectives on reading poetry. In fact, poetry is an individual sport in the sense that we all seek to enjoy literature for different reasons and the final outcome should be a thrilling experience. Poetry, according to Collins's speaker, is an activity to explore and with practice, a reader will become familiar with an author's literary work. He also explains, to fully understand poetry one needs to practice "unpacking" figurative language. In waterskiing, the first attempt is rarely successful and requires time and practice. After much work, the reader will be able to ski across the pages with confidence and expertise. In the end, the exciting literary work will be recognized by the reader and a salute to the "author's name" will be their thanks.