When I became poet laureate, I was in a slightly uncomfortable position because I think a lot of poetry isn't worth reading. Billy Collins laureatelotpoet Change image and share on social
If an artist is driven primarily by social responsibility, I think the art probably suffers because, again, just as leadership has a rather defined end point or purpose, social responsibility would seem to have a very clear moral context. Billy Collins artartistclear share on social
I'm not a claustrophobe, but you don't need to be to feel claustrophobic inside an MRI. It's like being buried alive. Billy Collins aliveburyclaustrophobe Change image and share on social
A lasting marriage, they say, is one where the two reach for different sections of the Sunday paper. Me, I go right for the obituaries, just like those very elderly characters in Muriel Spark's spooky novel, 'Memento Mori.' Billy Collins characterelderlylast share on social
Often people, when they're confronted with a poem, it's like someone who keep saying 'what is the meaning of this? What is the meaning of this?' And that dulls us to the other pleasures poetry offers. Billy Collins confrontdullmean Change image and share on social
For most Americans, poetry plays no role in their everyday lives. But also for most Americans, contemporary painting or jazz or sculpture play no role either. I'm not saying poetry is singled out as a special thing to ignore. Billy Collins americancontemporaryeveryday share on social
The disappointing second novel is measured against the brilliant first novel - often no novel lives up to the first. Literary improvement seems like an unfair expectation. Billy Collins brilliantdisappointexpectation Change image and share on social
There's something very authentic about humor, when you think about it. Anybody can pretend to be serious. But you can't pretend to be funny. Billy Collins authenticfunnyhumor Change image and share on social
I'm all for poetry catching up with technology, and just as there are iTunes, I think we should have iPoems. I mean, people should be able to walk around with their earbuds in and listening to poems on their iPod. Billy Collins catchearbudsipod share on social
People think of poetry as a school subject... Poetry is very frustrating to students because they don't have a taste for ambiguity, for one thing. That gives them a poetry hangover. Billy Collins ambiguityfrustratehangover Change image and share on social
