Billy Collins can be downright funny; he's a parodist, a feigning trickster, an ironic, entertaining magician-as-hero. . . . Without question, Collins writes with verve, gumption and deep intelligence. Not many poets can infuse humor with such serious knowledge; not many can range so far throughout history and look so freshly into the future. Not many can please so thoroughly and still manage to chide, prod, urge, criticize, and teach.-- "Poetry Magazine"
Billy Collins's poetry is widely accessible. He writes in an original way about all manner of ordinary things and situations with both humor and a surprising contemplative twist.-- "James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress"
Collins is jazzman and Buddhist, charmer and prince.-- "Booklist"
Graceful, ironic, smart.-- "William Matthews"
Mr. Collins's work is accessible. It speaks to us on a day-to-day level about simple things and experiences. It is often funny and almost always, deceptively profound. . . . With a poet like Billy Collins, one is tempted to go on quoting and, when reading, to look for someone to read aloud to, because these are poems that should be shared. . . . Mr. Collins said in a recent interview that he used to think of himself as a college professor who wrote poetry. He is indeed a poet in the fullest sense of theword.-- "Eileen F. Brennan"
No freshly encountered poet since Frank O'Hara has given me, as a common reader, more unalloyed pleasure.-- "Warner Berthoff, Boston Book Review"
One of the richest imaginations around . . . the affectionate humor with which Mr. Collins regards his surroundings amounts to a powerful kind of love, a reverence of the moment.-- "The Washington Post"
Versed in both classic texts and contemporary slang, Collins belongs to a seemingly endangered species --- the popular poet.-- "Associated Press"
With a poet like Billy Collins, one is tempted to g on quoting and, when reading, to look for someone to read aloud to, because these are poems that should be shared.-- "Garden City Life"