Billy Collinsed

After seeing a post a few seconds ago on The Finer Things Club about Friday’s Billy Collins reading, I realized that I totally forgot to blog about the reading! And so we get a second post today. :)

So, Billy Collins came to BYU on Friday as part of the English Department Reading Series, which is usually held in the library auditorium, but this time it was in the JSB because they expected more people. And more came. And I was one of them.

Truth be told, I’d never read or heard any of Collins’ poetry before, and all I knew was that he’d been poet laureate, but that was it. I was expecting a boring ex-post-post-postmodern sea of Joycean reflective self-worshiping hogwash — you know, modern literature, written by the intelligentsia who write to make the critics happy. (And the critics are doped up or something, I can’t tell. But modern lit is in a bad way, that much I do know. :))

Collins wasn’t like that at all. He was funny, he was good. I loved it. Listening to his poetry made me want to write poetry — poetry like his, no less. I can’t wait to read the rest of his works. If you haven’t read any Collins, his poem “Litany” is awesome and a great place to start. (Thanks to the FTC for the link.) The “There is just no way…” line is my favorite. :)

I was like you Ben, I hadn’t heard any of Billy Collins’ poetry before his reading on Friday. Well, perhaps one or two poems, but I don’t remember for sure. All I knew was that some people consider him to be too fluffy, too funny, and not serious enough for a “real poet.” However, I actually find the fact that his poetry is more engaging to be more real than those who strive to shut out their true meanings to anyone but the “highly intellectual.”

I’m glad you enjoyed your experience with contemporary lit; I think it’s better than ever. I’m jealous of you. I like what I’ve read of his but didn’t get to see him because of my class :(

Marisa: I didn’t even know that the intellectuals considered him fluff. Their loss. :) And I don’t think humor disqualifies any piece of art from being “real” — the snobs can just get over that. Don Quixote is hilarious, for example, and it’s one of the greatest novels ever.

Keith: Too bad they didn’t record it. Class is overrated, by the way. :P