Water, Water

From the former Poet Laureate of the United States and New York Times bestselling author of Aimless Love comes a wondrous new collection of poems focused on the joys and mysteries of daily life. ΓÇ£Among the best poems that [Billy] Collins has ever written.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöMaureen Corrigan,NPR ΓÇ£Wittywry and tender when it hurtsWaterWater is a pleasure to read and easy to give.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöThe Washington Post ΓÇ£Collins remains the most companionable of poetic companions.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöThe New York Times In this collection of sixty new poemsBilly Collins writes about the beauties and ironies of everyday experience. A poem is besthe feelswhen it begins in clarity but ends with a whiff of mystery. In WaterWaterCollins combines his vigilant attention and respect for the peripheral to create moments of delight. Common and uncommon events are captured here with equal fascinationbe it a cat leaning to drink from a swimming poola nurse calling a name in a waiting roomor an astronaut reciting Emily Dickinson from outer space. With his trademark lyrical informalityCollins asks us to slow down and glimpse the elevated in the ordinarythe odd in the familiar. ItΓÇÖs no surprise that The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal both call Collins one of AmericaΓÇÖs favorite poets. The Monet Conundrum Is every one of these poems different from the others he asked himselfas the rain quieted downor are they all the same poemhaystack after haystack at different times of daydifferent shadows and shades of hay?