Billy Collins

William J. "Billy" Collins (born March 22, 1941) is a poet who served two terms as the 11th Poet Laureate of the United States. He served from 2001 to 2003. In his home state, Collins has been recognized as a Literary Lion of the New York Public Library (1992) and selected as the New York State Poet for 2004.

Quotations
 (from 1999): As I'm writing, I'm always reader conscious. I have one reader in mind, someone who is in the room with me, and who I'm talking to, and I want to make sure I don't talk too fast, or too glibly. Usually I try to create a hospitable tone at the beginning of a poem. Stepping from the title to the first lines is like stepping into a canoe. A lot of things can go wrong.
 (from 2004): Moving from the position of United States poet laureate to New York State poet laureate might seem like a demotion or a drop in rank to the military-minded. It might even appear that I am heading toward eventually being crowned laureate of my ZIP code. But in fact, it is very gratifying to be honored again as a representative of poetry, this time by my native state where I grew up — more or less — and continue to live.

 Other websites 
 Watch a collection of 11 animated poems read aloud by Billy Collins 
 33 poems read aloud by Billy Collins, no charge (Creative Commons)
 Poems by Billy Collins at PoetryFoundation.org
 Griffin Poetry Prize biography (2004 judge and award emcee) 
 Billy Collins at poets.org
 Billy Collins at poetenladen.de (poetshop)

Category:1941 births
Category:Living people
Category:Writers from New York City