Ode to Billy – Collins, Not Joe

The more I delve into Billy Collins’ poetry, the more I appreciate his style, particularly his ability to mix the right amounts of seriousness and irreverence and shake them gently into a pleasant cocktail.  As the concoction goes down smoothly there arises that pleasant reminder that while life is indeed serious shit, one needs to be wary of taking it too seriously.

From Nightclub:

You are so beautiful and I am a fool

to be in love with you

is a theme that keeps coming up

in songs and poems.

There seems to be no room for variation.

I have never heard anyone sing

I am so beautiful

and you are a fool to be in love with me,

even though this notion has surely

crossed the minds of men and women alike.

You are so beautiful, too bad you are a fool

is another one you don’t hear.

Or, you are a fool to consider me beautiful. That one you will never hear, guaranteed.