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The Best Cigarette

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"I suppose I might be different from previous poet laureates by kind of emphasizing the playful or even screwball aspects of poetry." ~Billy Collins

Collins was reappointed to the post of U.S. Poet Laureate in the summer of 2002. He travels throughout the country for readings, lectures and is well loved by his audiences.

Listening to Billy Collins read his poems gave me a new appreciation for his genius. His poetry increases my capacity for viewing the world on a new artistic level. While listening, I had moments of nostalgia as images danced across my mind.

In this CD, you will find many of your favorite poems from many of his published works. They include:

1. Another reason I don't keep a gun in the house - A story of a dog barking. He humorously mixes images of a barking dog solo and Beethoven.
2. Shoveling snow with the Buddha - Winter work ends with warm drinks.
3. Marginalia - An especially enjoyable poem for anyone who loves to find scribblings in books.
4. Afternoon with Irish Cows - Completely vibrant images. You can truly see the images poem.

5. Walking across the Atlantic - An imaginative journey while walking on the water. He imagines what the fish must think about the bottoms of his feet appearing, disappearing.
6. Intro - An introduction that explains the title of this CD.
7. Consolation - Written to consol himself after canceling a trip to Europe.
8. Forgetfulness - If you are over 30, this makes complete sense. An intensely comical poem that will be appreciated by anyone trying to remember the name of a book or name of the author.

9. Workshop - Newbies enjoy entertaining Billy Collins with their artistic expression.
10. Morning - Feet on a cold floor and espresso while the typewriter awaits.
11. Driving myself to a poetry reading - An analysis of his feelings as represented
in how he places himself at various points - the car hood and the backseat.
12. Wolf - A wolf reads a book of fairy tales. This is perhaps one of my favorite Billy Collins poems. I love the description of the fur bristling and how he turns each page with his nose.

13. Purity - Explains how he loves to write and drink tea. His explanation of
how he writes romantic poetry is almost an interesting insight into male sexuality.
14. The Art of Drowning - Will you really see your life flash before your eyes?
15. Nostalgia - "Remember the 1340s?" I love this poem because it is a humorous visual journey back in time.
16. Candle Hat - A poem about a Goya painting.

17. Sweetalk - Art lovers will enjoy this love poem, especially the twist at the end.
18. Instructions to the Portrait Artist - Interesting insight into the poets' love of the intellectual life.
19. Pin-up - Decadent descriptions of murky garages and mechanics.
20. Flames - Smoky the Bear with his fur gleaming in the sun.

21. Saturday Morning - Casual observations and lazy day moments.
22. The Afterlife - Secrets from the afterlife and how you go to the place you always thought you'd go. Fun idea.
23. Man in Space - Male/Female relationships.
24. Aristotle - Thoughts about a beginning, middle and an end.

25. Wires of the Night - Especially beautiful recollection about death.
26. History of Weather - Flower ruffling breezes and heat shimmering on sand. Images of clouds, rain on battlefields and snow flurries of Victorian London.
27. Best Cigarette - Remembering his days as a smoker as a lover remembers
their true love.
28. Invention of the Saxophone - Mentions a historical character from the 13th century.

29. Child Development - Fish work up irregular verbs and children work on name calling.
30. On Reading in the Morning Paper - Dreams
31.The First Dream - Wind ghosts around the house as he leans against the door of sleep.
32. Japan - Reading a favorite Haiku.

33. Thesaurus - Lover's in myths and a congregating of word relatives. I love this one because I love words and Billy Collins has an especially creative way of exploring word meanings.
34. Nightclub - My husband read this to me once and I thought it was hilarious.

Billy Collins' wry wit and his eloquent voice contribute a comical resonance. His comic timing is impeccable and I finally understood some of the humor in his poem "Consolation" about "not" touring Italy. He gives a bit of background, which changes the entire poem. By the end of this reading, he has left the audience deliriously giddy with laughter.

I love the twists at the end of his poems that instantly captures profound emotional moments. There is a casual elegance in his poems. He invites you to journey with him through the poems, although at times Collins throws in a highly imaginative sentence or an entire poem that throws you for an intellectual loop. Billy Collins vocabulary is stunning all on its own. The way he blends the words into images and colors is more than impressive.

If you are in the mood for intellectual beauty, this CD will give you a deep appreciation for laid back and artistic observations.

If you are already a Billy Collin's fan, Pittsburgh Press has issued special hardcover limited editions of three of Billy Collins' books: Questions about Angels, The Art of Drowning, and Picnic, Lightning.

~The Rebecca Review

Dedicated to Eric who found my Billy Collins book reviews and thought I'd enjoy this wonderful recording. Thank you! This was a beautiful gift.

Months ago, while searching through amazon, I came across this CD. I had not before heard of or read any of Billy Collins work, but since I enjoy reading poetry as well as writing it myself, I thought I would give this disk a chance, so I ordered it.

After receiving it, I listened to it for the first time in the car, while driving across the city to meet friends at a new, upscale club. I remember sitting at a stop light, and having tears run down my cheeks. Maybe it was because I happened to be in love. Maybe it was because the poem forced me to think back on days gone by. Maybe it was because I'm a romantic. But one simple line begging a pardon over egg salad stains had me wiping off the mascara that travelled downward.

Billy Collins has a way of grasping the feelings within us that we try so hard to keep under wraps. He can be funny and uplifting one moment, and shockingly poignant the next. But always, he is honest. I think it must have been the honesty that suddenly jarred my emotions.

Since purchasing this CD, I have bought several of his books. I'm hooked.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended.

I was charmed to see that an author I already knew I liked had made a CD of his poetry readings. Better yet, the CD contains selections of work from several of Billy Collins' collections (well, better for Billy anyway -- I ended up buying 3 or 4 books to get copies of the poems I liked the best from the CD!) Pop this CD in your car radio for a pleasant break driving to work or even on a trip. Enjoyable even for passengers who don't usually enjoy poetry, as he's amusing, insightful, and even profound. I'm glad this CD is being re-released (originally available in 1997, now listed as available in 2001).

As if Billy Collins was great enough, hearing him read brings another dimension to his work. This recording covers over 30 poems (many not found elsewhere) and the quality is incredible -- sounds like your in the room with him. I can't recommend this recording enough for people who enjoy his work.

I could never really get into poetry, although I am a fan of Jazz and Spoken Word (close kin). A lot of poetry to me seems long winded, obscure, pretentious, and drawn out. Mr. Collins work is just the opposite. Eloquent and profound. I feel his words, and they have inspired me to read more of his works and the works of new authors as well. I finished "BrainChild: Visions of a Blind Poet" by Derek Alexander, and found it to be an excellent read. I can't wait to get my copy of "Tuesday's Dreams." Thank you, Mr. Collins, for opening my eyes to the wonderful world of poetry.

There is little to say other than Billy Collins is a gift to this and future generations, and hearing the poet speak the poet's words is exceedingly satisfying. There is much to laugh about while listening to this collection and one can only hope that more recordings of this wordsmith will be forthcoming.

Billy Collins will delight people who thought they couldn't like poetry and thrill the rest of us even more. His poems amuse, broaden, brighten, and enlighten, and you only need to have this CD because Billy reads his words even better than you do.

We bought this collection of Billy Collins' poems shortly after being introduced to him by friends who lent us the CD of Billy Collins' live performance at Peter Norton Hall (with the intro by Bill Murray). This collection has a few of the same poems as the other, but not enough duplication to make this an unwise choice. I enjoy listening to this collection, but get a little more enjoyment from the lively and responsive atmosphere that the audience gives the uninterrrupted live performance. Still, I haven't heard any other of his readings, so this is a very small sample to be judging from. In the end, I don't think you can go wrong with either CD.

It is worth buying this just to hear the recording of Another Reason I Don't Keep a Gun In The House. Billy Collins unique view of the world in both touching, and at times very funny.

A poetry cd of both live and studio performance by American poet Billy Collins. This is great, witty, ironic and clever. Hearing the poet himself read his verse adds to the enjoyment of his poems. I love 'forgetfulness'. His poems strike a chord with modern life. A must for fans and newcomers to his verse.