In what sense does "Introduction to Poetry" offer suggestions for approaching poetry? What advice does the poet, Billy Collins, provide in lines I–II?

Billy Collins offers suggestions for approaching poetry from the very beginning and through the end. He is asking readers to approach a poem as if they are only going to experience an aspect of the poem. When he references holding the "poem up to the light" he is saying that the poem is an image that we can look in to or glance at, but never fully understand or experience in the same way as the writer. This color slide is a moment outside of the reader, but something the reader can look to in order to learn, to change, or to understand in a new way. He also implies that the reader needs to want to see into the poem. It's not enough to simply pick up the slide and look at it, the reader must hold it to the light to fully see it. He is suggesting an effort is required from the reader.

In “Introduction to Poetry,” Billy Collins seems to be saying that to truly experience the meaning of a poem, readers must approach the poem in a sensory way. Rather than try to find meaning by simply gaining an understanding of the words and language, one should feel the meaning of poem by allowing it to awaken sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings that engender memories and emotions. Collins wants readers to enjoy poetry as he does, to truly experience it in a personal way, and to gain a sensory awareness of its meaning.
In lines 1 and 2, Collins tells readers that in order to examine poetry, they should “hold it up to the light.” Symbolically, light represents knowledge and awakening. It represents insight, perception, and understanding. To hold something up to the light also means to scrutinize it closely. Collins conveys the idea that he considers a poem to be a work of art. Therefore, he wants readers to do more than read a poem for its surface meaning—he wants them to probe beyond the surface to discover universal truths. Collins seems to be saying that poetry has the power to touch a person’s soul. In “Introduction to Poetry,” he gives readers advice for approaching poetry in a way that will help them feel that power and appreciate the artistic creation in a personal and emotional way.