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Billy Collins Quotes


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Quotes by Billy Collins

Showing 61-70 of 84 Quotes by Billy Collins

I just reached the point where plot-driven novels don't hold my interest because I don't care about the fate of characters anymore - whether Emily marries Tom or not, that kind of thing.

~Billy Collins

Topics: About Anymore Because Care Characters Emily Fate Hold Interest Just Kind Novels Point Reached Thing Tom Where Whether

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Discovering Samuel Beckett in college was a big deal for me. I realized you could be very funny and very dark at the same time.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Big Big Deal College Could Dark Deal Discovering Funny Me Realized Same Same Time Samuel Time Very You

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Very few people have actually read Freud, but everyone seems prepared to talk about him in that Woody Allen way. To read Freud is not as much fun.

~Billy Collins

Topics: About Actually Allen Everyone Few Few People Freud Fun Him Much People Prepared Read Seems Talk Very Way Woody Woody Allen

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When I became poet laureate, I was in a slightly uncomfortable position because I think a lot of poetry isn't worth reading.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Became Because Laureate Lot Poet Poetry Position Reading Slightly Think Uncomfortable Worth Worth Reading I Think

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I'm an only child, and I can take all the attention you manage to pile on me.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Attention Child Manage Me Only Only Child Pile Take You I Can

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For most Americans, poetry plays no role in their everyday lives. But also for most Americans, contemporary painting or jazz or sculpture play no role either. I'm not saying poetry is singled out as a special thing to ignore.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Also American Contemporary Either Everyday Ignore Jazz Lives Most Out Painting Play Plays Poetry Role Saying Sculpture Special Thing

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People think of poetry as a school subject... Poetry is very frustrating to students because they don't have a taste for ambiguity, for one thing. That gives them a poetry hangover.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Ambiguity Because Frustrating Gives Hangover One Thing People Poetry School Students Subject Taste Them Thing Think Very

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My persona is less miserable than a lot of contemporary poetry speakers are.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Contemporary Less Lot Miserable Persona Poetry Speakers Than

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When you put a poem on a Kindle, the lines are broken in order to fit on the screen. And so instead of being the poet's decision, it becomes the device's decision.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Becomes Being Broken Decision Device Fit Instead Kindle Lines Order Poem Poet Put Screen You

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To a poet, it's quite ruinous to have a poem distorted, out of shape, or squeezed, shall we say, into this tiny screen. But I'm not sure big digital companies are sensitive to the needs of poets.

~Billy Collins

Topics: Big Companies Digital Distorted Needs Out Poem Poet Poets Quite Say Screen Sensitive Shall Shape Squeezed Sure Tiny

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Biography

Nationality: American

Type: Poet

Born: March 22nd, 1941

Links

Find Billy Collins on Amazon

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