Vade Mecum I want the scissors to be sharp and the table perfectly level when you cut me out of my life and paste me in that book you always carry. Billy Collins More Quotes by Billy Collins More Quotes From Billy Collins I'm pretty much all for poetry in public places - poetry on buses, poetry on subways, on billboards, on cereal boxes. Billy Collins placesprettycerealpoetry 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. Billy Collins goodthinkjourneywant I don't write for an auditorium full of people. I don't write for the microphone; I write for the page. Billy Collins microphonepagewritepeople 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 thinkresponsibilityleadershipart 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. Billy Collins outfitwhateverknowyou 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 youserioushumorfunny 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 worththinkpoetryreading 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 walktechnologypoetrypeople I learned snails don't have ears. They live in silence. They go slowly. Slowly, slowly in silence. Billy Collins livegosilenceears
