Noah Welch Assignment 3

In “The Blues” Billy Collins creates a tone of hope through his use of imagery. Collins paints a harsh world where troubles run rampant. In his very first line he makes the dark claim that “no one takes an immediate interest in the pain of others.”  He demonstrates that people are unwilling to care about spoken problems, but through music people will actually pay attention and “shift to the sympathetic edge of their chairs.” He uses his art to connect with people to share his emotional hardships in a socially acceptable way. He describes the blues as haunting and connecting everyone with the hardships of life. This poem has a hopeful tone, because troubles that could not normally be shared with anyone else are shared through the blues.

"The artist speaks to our capacity for delight and wonder, to the sense of mystery surrounding our lives, to our sense of pity and beauty, and pain." --Joseph Conrad

This quote captures the nature of art in my mind. I think that art is all about expression. When people create art they allow their audiences to understand their minds. This is a powerful bond that has allowed people to connect through the centuries.  We love to capture intense moments that show all the different aspects of life, the happiness and the sorrow.  I play the cello and I think it is a great way to demonstrate how I feel. It is a great way to express myself and I find it very relaxing.  I think all artists create this art to help people understand others.