Question

i want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the authors name on the shore.
but all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
they begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

what overall effect does collins create by using the metaphors of waterskiing and torture? choose the best answer.

he shows that he has a lot to learn from his students about reading poetry and getting meaning out of it.
he shows that readers should interpret poetry however they prefer to, even if it means hurting it.
he shows that students want a clear meaning from the poem, but poetry should not be limited to just one meaning.

Explanation:

Contrast the two metaphors

The metaphor of "waterskiing" represents a lighthearted, enjoyable, and surface-level exploration of a poem, while the metaphor of "torture" (tying to a chair, beating with a hose) represents a forced, aggressive, and painful attempt to extract a single "confession" or meaning.

Analyze the author's purpose

Billy Collins contrasts these images to show that while readers/students aggressively try to force a single, definitive meaning out of a poem, poetry should actually be experienced and enjoyed more freely without being restricted to one rigid interpretation.

Evaluate the answer choices

• Option 1 suggests the speaker has a lot to learn from students, which contradicts the poem's critical tone toward how students analyze poetry.
• Option 2 suggests readers should interpret poetry however they prefer, even if it means hurting it, which misinterprets the torture metaphor.
• Option 3 states that students want a clear meaning, but poetry should not be limited to one meaning, which perfectly captures the contrast between the playful waterskiing and the forced torture.

Answer:

• (A) He shows that he has a lot to learn from students about reading poetry and getting meaning out of it.
• (B) He shows that readers should interpret poetry however they prefer to, even if it means hurting it.
• (C) He shows that students want a clear meaning from the poem, but poetry should not be limited to one meaning. (Correct answer)