15

﻿ ﻿ Billy Collins by: Marley Savin

[] "The mind can be trained to relive itself on paper."-Billy Collins  Billy Collins is an exceptional poet that has influenced readers,  writers  ,and upcoming poets to read more,write more,and investigate more into poetry. Collins was named for being the most famous and popular poet in America ﻿(Bruce Weber for New York Times). Billy Collins was born in 1941 in New York City.His mom and dad were William and Katherine Collins. His mom,Katherine Collins was a major influence to Colllins and was the reason why he became so in love with poetry in the first place. His mom was able to recite quotes,phrases, and poetry which made Billy become so fascinated with words.( [])  His most   recent   set of works is //She was just seventeen// in 2008.Billy Collins has won many awards including New York Public Library,'Literary Lion' in 1992. in 1994 he won Poet of the Year.He has also won many awards for some of his works. For example in 1991 he won the National Poetry Series Publication Prize Winner for //Questions About Angels.And he also won the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize Academy of American Poets in 1995 for his work The Art of Drowning.// (poetry foundation)

Billy Collins wrote about his life experiences and about nature. Collins was facsinated by life and the beauty of nature. Billy would use the events in his life to inspire his poetry.the style of Billy Collins Poetry is rather humorous in a dull way. He is a witty smart writter and will have you wanting to read more.This is how he was such an inspiration to young uprising poets. Most of his poetry comes from events that he will make more detailed and convey it to more of his own opinion on the matter.His poetry can be very cheerful in the begging but ca end up rather profound. Collins isnt afraid to add his personal feelings to his writings. []

__ On Turning Ten __ ﻿  "The whole idea of it makes me feel  like I'm coming down with something, something worse than any stomach ache or the headaches I get from reading in bad light-- a kind of measles of the spirit, a mumps of the psyche, a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.

You tell me it is too early to be looking back, but that is because you have forgotten the perfect simplicity of being one and the beautiful complexity introduced by two. But I can lie on my bed and remember every digit. At four I was an Arabian wizard. I could make myself invisible by drinking a glass of milk a certain way. At seven I was a soldier, at nine a prince.

But now I am mostly at the window watching the late afternoon light. Back then it never fell so solemnly against the side of my tree house, and my bicycle never leaned against the garage as it does today, all the dark blue speed drained out of it.

This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself, as I walk through the universe in my sneakers. It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends, time to turn the first big number.

It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed."   -Billy Collins

In the poem " On Turning Ten" Billy Collins talks about how he felt when he finally turned ten. On how he didnt. feel that youthful childish spark anymore. He talks about how all of his toys like his bike used to all look brighter,newer, and more happy. Now to him all of that has lost its spark its youthful energy. He now talks about in the poem about how the world is no longer easy on him, its harsh. Life comes at him all at once. Allin one hard blow. Collins now talks about how he can no longer have his imaginary friends and his old childish games. In a way he misses the simplicity of a child's life.

media type="youtube" key="uXx5K6gfQBw" width="425" height="350"