Billy Collins

I had planned to write this whole spiel about poetry and how I didn't like it except for really exceptional poems, blah blah blah, and then I decided to watch Billy Collins read one of my very favorite poems on youtube. I really like Billy Collins, and even considered going to college at a small school in Queens, New York so I could take an English class from him. I would still like to do that. Maybe I could do that over the summer while I'm in grad school at NYU (because I'll totally be one of the like, 15 out of 700 they select for the MFA program...). I've heard that he is considered a poet who made poetry more accessible, and I tend to agree with it. His work is not lofty, not pretentious, and not trying to be more than it is. It's also hilarious, heartfelt, and profound in its simplicity. I really like how he takes ordinary objects and turns them on their heads in really unexpected ways. It's something that I like to do in my own writing (which I really haven't done lately).

Anyways, here's a video of Billy reading "The Lanyard":



And here's a video of "Litany":


Watch them. Laugh at them. Read more of his poetry. You'll be glad you did.