A Gem of a Poem: “Student of Clouds” by Billy Collins

Teachers who are looking for poems that straddle two subjects can rely on “Student of Clouds” by Billy Collins. The poem is printed in Collins’ collection, Sailing Alone Around the Room, New and Selected Poems, and is just one of several from the collection that students will find accessible. “Student of Clouds” begins with “The emotion is to be found in the clouds,/not in the green solids of sloping hills” (1-2). Right away the poem presents imagery that students can visualize – clouds vs. hills. Questions arise: What is the speaker saying about the clouds? How are the clouds different from the hills, according to the poem? The metaphor continues and science, nature, and poetry unite, but really, in poetry, don’t they always? Give Collins’ poems a try in your classroom. I’m sure you will find several gems.

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