Wordsworth's preface argues that poetry should depict ordinary and common experiences using simple language. The poet selects situations from everyday life but imbues them with imagination to present familiar things in an unusual way. Additionally, the poet should have a deeper understanding of human nature and passions than most people and use language as it is naturally used by common people rather than elaborate or artificial language. The preface establishes Wordsworth's view that poetry arises from intense emotion and should bring pleasure by focusing on ordinary human experiences.