Dear Billy Collins
Dear Billy Collins,
I have a very good friend
who says you remind him of me.
While I take that as a compliment
almost every picture of you I see
has you chewing on the end of your glasses
with sorta flirty eyes and I would never do that,
the chewing on my glasses part.
You have said you hope your poems
begin in Kansas and end in Oz
and I can see myself hoping that
although I wouldn’t say it out loud.
Your verses are very approachable
filled with things like low hanging clouds
and clinking whiskey glasses.
I strive for accessibility too but
so far I’ve held off on the whiskey.
I have to tell you, Billy, that there are times
I’m reading your work and I get sleepy,
I believe your critics have used the word pedantic.
Now I’m of the silent opinion that most critics
can kiss my ass and then some, but
there are times when I’m reading your work that I wish you’d say something like that, just throw your whiskey glass up into the low hanging clouds and watch it tumble down and shatter on the yellow brick road and frighten all the munchkins almost to death. But I have the sense you wouldn’t do that and I understand that restraint, I really do. Maybe that’s what my good friend means when he says I remind him of you, that something in our eyes that is safe, like home.
there are times when I’m reading your work that I wish you’d say something like that, just throw your whiskey glass up into the low hanging clouds and watch it tumble down and shatter on the yellow brick road and frighten all the munchkins almost to death. But I have the sense you wouldn’t do that and I understand that restraint, I really do. Maybe that’s what my good friend means when he says I remind him of you, that something in our eyes that is safe, like home.
I love Billy Collins! I think that’s what I like about your poems. They are accessible… and lovely.
Thank you so much. I would address you by name but I couldn’t find it – sorry.
I’m sorry… I forgot to do that when I started this… My name is Laura. I heard about you through Kara Tippets site, Mundane Faithfulness.
You are kind.
Thanks, James.
Oh man. You are amazing. And don’t tell Billy Collins, but I like you better. H
Heather, I won’t tell him unless I feel its absolutely necessary (smile). Thanks!
I’m with Heather. LOVE THIS ONE. So, what else is new?
Brilliant. Still chewing my cud on this. Although it appears simple, there is a great deal here to feast on. And I am, feasting. Love it. Re-reading is in order.