by Philip Standley
Billy Collins entered the room after it had filled. He was charming and
had not even said a word. He seemed very comfortable as I am sure he has been
to many of these events of the years. After he introduced himself he began to
read some of his own poetry and I was immediately enthralled. In just a brief
reading experience he was able to capture the emotion of every listener in the
room. His poetry is short and sweet and seemingly has no direction, but the
meaning and humor in his writing was obvious. This is a funny, caring, and
introspective man. He could write about anything and make it feel like it is about
you. It did not take long for him to turn me into a poetry enthusiast.
After wondering for days how long this hour would feel, it took me minutes
to wish he would be there for another hour. He captured sounds, smells, sights,
and feelings with ease. He captured minds and hearts just the same. He
explained his own thoughts to us and made understanding his writing that much
easier. Mr. Collins was inspiring and insightful, he spoke about what moves him
and how he moves his readers. He encouraged listeners to find their own passion
and chart their own course. After reading a few of his poems he opened for
questioning and continued his wonderful performance. He was always open and
honest. His sense of humor was dry and at times morbid but was consistently
funny.
My experience at my first poetry reading was very interesting and it
exceeded expectations. Billy Collins made me laugh, made me think, and inspired
me to find passion in life’s little intricacies. He made a poetry fan out of me,
and I get the sense that he will make many more before he’s done.
Like the writer describes I too wondered what this would entail, how long and potentially how boring was it going to be attending Billy Collin's presentation? Billy Collin's quietness and stillness was reflected in his slow but deliberate body language. I found him calming, restful and quite frankly he could have been reading the directions on how to program your DVD player and I would have still enjoyed him.
ReplyDeleteHe was unpretentious, friendly and at peace with himself and the world. I understood from this experience that often words on a page are simply just that. It is the human component which breathes life into the words which Billy Collin's achieved in his own inimitable, yet; effortless way.
When I first started reading your post I was scared that it was going to be a horrible experience for you. I hate to admit that I am not much of a reader or writer. I wish I was more so. I just don't think I have any talent for it. I also don't think that I would ever find myself at a poetry reading. After reading on though you made it sound interesting. I admire people who can write and even get up in front of a crowd to present. Billy Collin's sound like he is pretty cool, and the fact that he inspired you and that you enjoyed the activity is even more awesome. Thanks for sharing your experience, who knows maybe I will go the next time the opportunity comes up. - Blake M.
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