Itemize Books To Picnic, Lightning
| Original Title: | Picnic, Lightning |
| ISBN: | 0822956705 (ISBN13: 9780822956709) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Billy Collins
Paperback | Pages: 104 pages Rating: 4.26 | 3940 Users | 240 Reviews
Mention Containing Books Picnic, Lightning
| Title | : | Picnic, Lightning |
| Author | : | Billy Collins |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 104 pages |
| Published | : | 1998 by University of Pittsburgh Press |
| Categories | : | Poetry. Contemporary. Fiction. Literature. American. Adult |
Commentary During Books Picnic, Lightning
Winner of the 1999 Paterson Poetry PrizeOver the past decade, Billy Collins has emerged as the most beloved American poet since Robert Frost, garnering critical acclaim and broad popular appeal. Annie Proulx admits, "I have never before felt possessive about a poet, but I am fiercely glad that Billy Collins is ours." John Updike proclaims his poems "consistently startling, more serious than they seem, they describe all the worlds that are and were and some others besides."
This special, limited edition celebrates Billy Collins's years as U.S. Poet Laureate. Picnic, Lightning--one of the books that helped establish and secure his reputation and popularity during the 1990s--combines humor and seriousness, wit and sublimity. His poems touch on a wide range of subjects, from jazz to death, from weather to sex, but share common ground where the mind and heart can meet. Whether reading him for the first time or the fiftieth, this collector's edition is a must-have for anyone interested in the poet the New York Times calls simply "the real thing."
Rating Containing Books Picnic, Lightning
Ratings: 4.26 From 3940 Users | 240 ReviewsWeigh Up Containing Books Picnic, Lightning
A Portrait of the Reader with a Bowl of CerealEvery morning I sit across from youat the same small table,the sun all over the breakfast thingscurve of a blue-and-white pitcher,a dish of berriesme in a sweatshirt or robe,you invisible.Most days, we are suspendedover a deep pool of silence.I stare straight through youor look out the window at the garden,the powerful sky,a cloud passing behind a tree.There is no need to pass the toast,the pot of jam,or pour you a cup of tea,and I can hide behindWhy did it take me this long to read Billy Collins? I devoured this.
Billy Collins is like that friend who, whether you last saw him a year ago or yesterday, has a dozen stories to tell you about the minutiae of his life and you listen in awed silence wondering why your own life isnt half so entertaining even though his is not really more entertaining than yours. He just knows how to tell a story. Collins sees the pathos or the humor, the beauty or the oddness of something you would have barely noticed. And it is this talent, the talent in telling a story about a
Here's one of my favourite poems from this collection:MarginaliaBilly CollinsSometimes the notes are ferocious,skirmishes against the authorraging along the borders of every pagein tiny black script.If I could just get my hands on you,Kierkegaard, or Conor Cruise OBrien,they seem to say,I would bolt the door and beat some logic into your head.Other comments are more offhand, dismissive -Nonsense. Please! HA!! -that kind of thing.I remember once looking up from my reading,my thumb as a bookmark,
Another great poetry collection from Billy Collins. His writing style involves accessible storytelling, typically linking two disparate domains (e.g jazz and nature), often with underlying humor. I'm a huge fan of this. My two fave standouts from this collection:Marginalia-- the pleasures of writing and reading notes along the page margins of booksThe Many Faces of Jazz-- the conversion of jazz into facial reaction. A musical/facial version of synesthesia.
Probably my favorite collection of his so far. While I was somewhat disappointed by The Rain in Portugal, going back to this one rejuvenated my admiration for Collins' work. Picnic, Lightning is far too good to neglect; read it.
No comments
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.