The History Teacher.

Shannon Hale , an accomplished author of six novels says “Mama used to say, you have to know someone a thousand days before you can glimpse her soul.” People will never fully understand the situation someone is going through if they themselves have never experienced such emotions. Billy Collins is no stranger to this statement as expressed in his thought-provoking ruefully resonant poem ‘The History Teacher.’

The free versed poem is told in third person narrative as an observer who tries to narrate the ongoings of the History and the reasons behind them. The poem tugs on the compassion that the said character  has “trying to protect his students’ innocence” from “The War of the Roses” by shielding them from the truth. “While he gathered up his notes and walked home past flower beds and white picket fences, wondering if they believe that soldiers in the Boer War told long, rambling stories designed to make the enemy nod off,” said Billy Collins trying to insinuate that people who have not undergone such trauma are easy to forget the sacrifices that were made for them in order to live the lives they have now. Billy Collins may be referring to the world shocking event that happened in America, the 9/11, an act of terrorism that caused many deaths and made many Americans lose their family members. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. The poem itself might be an expression on how Billy Collins thinks parents are handling the misfortune by downplaying it to their children to prevent from worrying and give an illusion of  safety to their innocent children.