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Two term Poet Laureate, Billy Collins writes poetry that is sublime. It is plain and yet descriptive. Humor shines through, and each poem paints a slice of life. I like to think I write some poetry, but Mr. Collins's collection humbles me in its simplicity.

cover blurb: By turns playful, ironic, and serious, Collins's poetry captures the nuances of everyday life while leading the reader into zones of inspired wonder.

He often writes about writing poetry, as if he can't believe this is his "job".

Here is the opening of "Velocity" by Billy Collins:
In the club car that morning I had my notebook
open on my lap and my pen uncapped
looking every inch the writer
right down to the little writer's frown on my face

but there was nothing to write about
except life and death
and the low warning sound of the train whistle

He continues to meander with the train, tells a story, and it's so smooth. You don't think "Gosh I'm slogging through a poem." The whole book is full of these short poems disguised as tales of life.

I laughed out loud at the poem "Hangover".  The words Marco Polo        Marco Polo as spaced on the page are genius.

Aimless Love by Billy Collins will convert you into a poetry lover.

Poet Laureate Billy Collins writes accessible poetry. It's subtle and real and human. I love his writing and his work seems so easy and off the cuff. I know it's not and I'm sure he agonized over every line. However, his words flow and just tell a story of normal life. Or his everyday observations could have been mine, except way better.

(back cover blurb) Possessed of a unique voice that is at once plain and melodic, Billy Collins has managed to enrich American poetry. 

Here's one stanza from "Madmen"
They say you can jinx a poem
if you talk about it before it is done
If you let it out too early, they warn, 
your poem will fly away
and this time they are absolutely right

Or from "Snow Day"
Today we woke up to a revolution of snow,
its white flag waving over everything
the landscape vanished
not a single mouse to punctuate the blankness,
and beyond these windows

He epitomizes the word sublime.....