WATER, WATER Poems

Two great characteristics of Billy Collins's poems are their surface simplicity and their intriguing depth. Collins reads them here as though the surface were all, letting us appreciate the language and wit but allowing us to stop and think and go as deep as we want into these meditations on poetry, age, mortality, and many other subjects. Now in his 80s, Collins spends more time looking back than forward in this collection, but there is no sense of farewell. He clearly has plans to continue writing (and reading). There is certainly no indication that he has run out of things to say, or subjects that intrigue him. The poetry and performance are equally lively, and reward careful listening. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]