This is the sentence that best describes how this image affects the poem. In these lines, we learn of a farm. The poem up to this point has provided an idyllic view of the farm. We learn that the poet remembers the farm with happiness and love. However, in this line, he describes being suddenly awake, and realizing that the farm is a "childless land." The children are gone and the farm is not the same. This creates a sense of loss and mourning.
Answer: I would say the first option, poems should be studied in many ways. Considering how Billy Collins describes how to inspect a poem figuratively.
