Collins, Billy. The Apple That Astonished Paris. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1988.
Such a slim, unassuming little book of poetry! Who knew it would pack a punch of powerful words neatly disguised in short and sweet poems? I have decided Billy Collins is one of my favorite poets. His poetry is not pretentious. It’s within reach; a drinking buddy; a lovable troublemaker disguised in a string of words. There is wild imagination (walking across water and thinking of what the fish below see), seriousness (a former teacher looks back on the “community” of students he has taught), nostalgic (remembering a Tuscany vacation), clever (questioning Basque language), humorous (Smokey the Bear is fed up with warning tourists about forest fires) and moving (how cancer is a bad word). Each poem is about a page long or less. Short enough to read again and again. Let the words soak in and open your mind to fun poetry.
Favorite lines:
“…a jaded traveler with an invisible passport” (p 6).
“The evening hangs in the air like lace” (p 13).
“My sentiments are tangled like kites in the branches of her incomprehension” (p 21).
BookLust Twist: From Book Lust in the chapter called, “Kitchen-Sink Poetry” (p 139).
~*LunaSea*~ 
I’m with you…Billy’s one of the best. Keep reading his poetry – it’s all good. Have you treated yourself to The Lanyard? Or Litany? If you check on YouTube you can see clips of Billy reading his poems, it’s so worth it. Some have been animated, too, with his voice over.
Happy National Poetry Month! I will carry The Lanyard with me on April 30, Poem in Your Pocket day.
Thanks for writing about Billy. I’m a big fan!
Absolutely! I love how approachable his poetry is. I definitely will be reading more in the future (and blogging about it).