View Metamorphosis Poem Billy Collins Background. This is probably a good indication that the dominant figure of speech is going to be either a metaphor. The poem begins with the speaker asking why and how the idea of life flashing before one's eyes came into being.
'outlined against a landscape of smoking volcanoes' …
This collection is for anyone teachable. If there are any suggestions as to poems you think might be good ones for him to memorize, let me know! The first thing you might notice when you look at billy collins' introduction to poetry is the amount of comparison going on: Billy teaches you how to harness the imaginative flexibility of a poem, turning it in new directions to be playful with your reader.