Born in New York City on March 22, 1941, Billy Collins is one of the the most notable, accomplished, and beloved poets in the United States and abroad. He first achieved national prominence during his two terms as the Poet Laureate of the United States, from 2001 to 2003, and then as the New York State Poet for 2004.
Collins specializes in writing poems that feature plain yet beautiful language, and which describe plain yet beautiful aspects of everyday life. His is one of the few poets who is considered both highly accessible to general readers and deeply complex enough to satisfy literature fans who yearn for something more challenging. His poems leave you feeling uplifted and exhausted at once.
Perhaps more than any other modern poet, Collins is also notable for his efforts to engage the greater American population in poetry, a field of literature often overlooked by readers. He has focused much of his efforts on working with the Library of Congress on his famous "Poetry 180" website for high school students, his regular readings at public libraries and facilities, and his emphasis on expanding poetry programs in K-12 schools and colleges.
This fanlisting celebrates Billy Collins for his amazing contributions to literature, literacy, and the American cultural landscape, and serves as a gathering place for fans of this most amazing, yet beautifully and complexly simple, poetic master.