Billy Collins - Poet Quotes

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The person in the poem is a character like a character in fiction whom the poet has invented—without clothes or a family, or a place of birth, just a voice—to convey himself. Any resemblance he bears to the poet you meet on a signing line is slightly less than coincidental. Meeting the author is one of life's most reliably disappointing experiences, not because authors are such nasty people, but because you have already met them under the best possible circumstance—on the page.

Billy Collins

Novelists, playwrights, painters and others may hold in their heads the expectation of fame, but not poets. Having chosen that road, all one can dream of is the jealousy of one's rivals. Celebrity is unexpected and almost unseemly—it forces one to wear a constant look of chagrin, if that is possible. Unless you are Byron, who was the first poet to become a star. At its worst, fame means being known by strangers—enough to bring on waves of paranoia.

Billy Collins

I find it impossible to think of "favorite" poets. I would rather list the ones I cannot stand.

Billy Collins

It is important for the poet not to be emotional because you cannot see the world clearly with tears in your eyes.

Billy Collins