Importance of Billy Collins' Poetry

Billy Collins’ work allows readers to process things in new ways and think about them more than they ever have before. His writing allows us to see into his very thinking, whether it is him sitting in his kitchen analyzing the different objects before him, or him reciting poetry and finding new meanings beyond for what it was meant. Collins’ use of freestyle writing gives the reader a look into his flowing thought process, and his imagination and descriptions teach us how to become more creative thinkers ourselves. In an interview, Billy Collins reflects on the character he creates that narrates his poems.

“The character I invented, if I had to describe him, is probably an updating of a character you find strolling through the pages of English Romantic poetry. He is a daydreamer, obviously unemployed, plenty of time on his hands, spends a lot of time by himself, and has an unhealthy fascination with his thinking process, his own speculations and fantasies.” (Joel Whitney. “A Brisk Walk”. Academy of American Poets. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg. Feb. 10, 2016.)

I can personally connect with what he says here because I too like to spend time alone, and I have a fascination with processing my thoughts. I like to spend time writing poetry, letters, and journals to put down my emotions on paper that are otherwise confusing to me. I also tend to look at objects more creatively than most people, and I can really appreciate and connect with his poetry in general. I don’t have a full-time job as of now either (because I am a full-time student), and I find myself spending my free time thinking rather than out doing something.