We are all so foolish … we have become beautiful without even knowing it.
Nightclub
Billy Collins
From the votes of the poll I posted last week, William “Billy” Collins is the next poet I’m going to research and discuss. From what I’ve read so far, I’m loving this guy! He seems to talk about real things and real thoughts in a down-to-earth manner with hints of humour now and then. Born in 1941 in New York, Collins is a professor, a poet, and the writer of several books, the latest published in 2008. Collins has a Ph.D in English from University of California and is currently a professor at Lehman College and the City University of New York. He also teaches seminars and poetry workshops. Although sometimes called “the most popular poet in America,” I feel there isn’t enough seen or known by the general public about this talented, funny, respectful poet, hence this post!
Collins’ Poetry
I find Collins’ poetry to be stable and fun. He discusses things in a philosophical manner, but does so in a way that is easy to follow and enlightening, rather than frustrating and confusing, as I find philosophy to be! Collins is known for his inviting tone and has said his poems might unfold logically but “the progress is usually toward something that is beyond my sense of logic,” (Collins), which can be seen in his poem “I Go Back to the House for a Book” (which I have posted on my other page “hello, nice to meet you” under “J’adore”). Collins was the first to win the Mark Twain award for Humour in Poetry and although some of poems have a seemingly destitute and melancholy feel, there is always a little bit of light that shines through. Otherwise, his dry humour and anecdotal poems make every line worth reading!
The Influence
After winning the Mark Twain award for Humour in Poetry, how could we not feel compelled to write with a little more wit and creativity! It takes a lot of talent to write about a serious or philosophical matter and make it entertaining and unforgettable with occasional witticisms and a joke every now and then, and this is something Collins does so well. Even through this humous, some of his poetry seems to be charged with inquisition into a serious matter. This can also be seen in poetry by Robert Service and other poets (who are still alive) such as Rob Padgett, John Ashbery, Kenneth Koch, and Heather McHugh. It’s wonderful when one writes seriously about serious matters and humorously about funny matters, but when you can join the two together to create this world of witty observations and questions that leave the reader with a smile and a desire to think, then that is illuminating.
Candle Hat
In most self-portraits it is the face that dominates:
Cezanne is a pair of eyes swimming in brushstrokes,
Van Gogh stares out of a halo of swirling darkness,
Rembrant looks relieved as if he were taking a breather
from painting The Blinding of Sampson.But in this one Goya stands well back from the mirror
and is seen posed in the clutter of his studio
addressing a canvas tilted back on a tall easel.He appears to be smiling out at us as if he knew
we would be amused by the extraordinary hat on his head
which is fitted around the brim with candle holders,
a device that allowed him to work into the night.You can only wonder what it would be like
to be wearing such a chandelier on your head
as if you were a walking dining room or concert hall.But once you see this hat there is no need to read
any biography of Goya or to memorize his dates.To understand Goya you only have to imagine him
lighting the candles one by one, then placing
the hat on his head, ready for a night of work.Imagine him surprising his wife with his new invention,
the laughing like a birthday cake when she saw the glow.Imagine him flickering through the rooms of his house
with all the shadows flying across the walls.Imagine a lost traveler knocking on his door
one dark night in the hill country of Spain.
“Come in, ” he would say, “I was just painting myself,”
as he stood in the doorway holding up the wand of a brush,
illuminated in the blaze of his famous candle hat.
Resouces:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Collins
http://www.poemhunter.com/billy-collins/
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/278
http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=6478
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/heather_mchugh
A Word's Worth 