Billy Collins is an American poet who served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. He has often been referred to as the “most popular poet in America.” His poems are famously witty and often include surprising twists and turns. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2016. Read more about Billy Collins.
In ‘The History Teacher,’ the titular educator neglects to teach his students about the cold, hard realities of the past in order to protect their innocence from reality.
Trying to protect his students' innocence
he told them the Ice Age was really just
the Chilly Age, a period of a million years
when everyone had to wear sweaters.
‘My Number’ by Billy Collins takes a jocular approach to wrangling with the existential anxieties brought on when thinking about death.
Is Death miles away from this house,
reaching for a widow in Cincinnati
or breathing down the neck of a lost hiker
in British Columbia?
‘Afternoon with Irish Cows’ describes one speaker’s presumptions about the interior lives of cows and the power that sound has over human understanding.
‘American Sonnet’ by Billy Collins is a seven stanza poem that is divided into sets of three lines, known as
In ‘Aristotle’ Collins explores the three major themes of beginnings, middles, and ends. These are represented by the different sections
In ‘Dharma’ Collins touches on themes of freedom, the purpose of life, and animal/human relationships. These themes come together as
‘Introduction to Poetry’ by Billy Collins is a beautiful poem that speaks about the nature of poetry. The poet considers how poetry should be appreciated and comprehended.
‘Man Listening to Disc’ is a poem written by “the most popular poet in America”, Billy Collins. This poem presents the poet’s feelings while listening to jazz music.
Here is an analysis of a poem by American poet Billy Collins called ‘On Turning Ten’. This is a coming-of-age
‘The Afterlife’ by Billy Collins is a ten stanza poem that is separated into uneven sets of lines. The longest
‘The Art of Drowning’ by Billy Collins talks directly with readers. It presents the art or the act of drowning.
‘The Best Cigarette’ by Billy Collins is a four stanza poem that is separated into uneven sets of lines. The
‘The Birds of America’ by Billy Collins is an eight stanza poem that is separated out into sets of four
‘The Breather’ by Billy Collins is a six stanza poem that is separated out into sets of three lines, known
‘The Dead’ eliminates the gap between the living and the poor. It draws our attention to the fact that the dead are always watching us and waiting for our arrival.
In the poem, ‘The Revenant’, Billy Collins channels the spirit of a deceased dog and subverts the accepted relationship of man and his best friend.
William James Collins, the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003, is a contemporary American poet. He
‘Writing in the Afterlife’ by Billy Collins is a nine stanza poem that is separated out into sets of four