poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

What's so strong about Billy Collins's writing is just how convincing he is. It's not more complicated than that.

I mean, after this poem, I was ready to leave some sage advice, like: "'Tis true; all life is, deep down and under, is a series of best cigarettes."

And I don't even smoke.

You don't have to smoke to have an appreciation for this poem, because that's not what it's about. I think smoking is a vile habit, but after reading this poem, I had to take a look at it from Billy Collins' perspective. Every writer can relate to the feeling you have when you have "something going on the typewriter." It's an exhilaration that you get from nothing else. Life is a series of good things- And the best are the ones you have to create for yourself. Taking the time to enjoy the little things makes all the difference. I love this poem and I love how Billy Collins makes me look at little things and realize how great they are.