Billy Collins served two terms as United States Poet Laureate and founded Poetry 180, a teaching aid for high school students based on the belief that “poems can inspire and make us think about what it means to be a member of the human race.” Collins has joined us for the Seminar nearly every year since he left the Library of Congress office, and is an annual favorite of the students who join us from Key West High School.
This recording was made in January of 2003, during Collins’s second term as Laureate. He reads a selection of poems, including “Shoveling Snow With Buddha,” “Monday,” “Flock,” “Creatures,” “The Lanyard,” “The Country,” “Surprise,” “No Time,” “Love,” “Sonnet,” “Japan,” “Forgetfulness,” “Consolation,” “On Turning Ten,” and “Nightclub.”
Collins will join us again in 2010 for Clearing the Sill of the World.
This recording is available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights belong to the author. © 2003 Billy Collins. Used with permission from Billy Collins.
Alec Frank says:
Thank you. I sometimes (atually most of the time) find it difficult to read poetry, how wonderful to have the poet read to me!
save dexter oregon says:
he is a great reader and love the poetry
nancy bayless says:
Wonderful. I heard BC on NPR today and got to this website from that. I have missed poetry being read so much. Thank you!