Usually the poems are written in one sitting. There's always a groping towards some satisfying ending. But I'd say the hardest part is not writing. Once the writing starts, it's too pleasurable to think of it as a difficulty.

Billy Collins

Categorized in : Thinking Writing Sitting

I'm pretty much all for poetry in public places - poetry on buses, poetry on subways, on billboards, on cereal boxes.

places pretty cereal poetry

I think it's good not to make demands on the reader too early. But as the poem goes on, I want the journey of the poem to lead into some interesting places.

good think journey want

I don't write for an auditorium full of people. I don't write for the microphone; I write for the page.

microphone page write people

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.

think responsibility leadership art

I really have a distaste for poets who announce themselves at 50 yards; you know, here he comes, you know, with the beret and the cane and the cape and the whatever - whatever mishegas is part of the outfit there.

outfit whatever know you

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.

you serious humor funny

When I became poet laureate, I was in a slightly uncomfortable position because I think a lot of poetry isn't worth reading.

worth think poetry reading

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.

walk technology poetry people

I learned snails don't have ears. They live in silence. They go s... by Billy Collins

I learned snails don't have ears. They live in silence. They go slowly. Slowly, slowly in silence.

live go silence ears