Billy Collins transforms the ordinary into lyrical insight, blending wit and gentle profundity. From his early academic roots to U.S. Poet Laureate status and ongoing creative output like Water, Water and Dog Show, he remains a guiding voice in American poetry.
At age 84, Collins continues writing and teaching, now at SUNY Stony Brook Southampton and as a springs resident fellow at Winter Park Institute, Florida.
In April 2025, he unveiled his latest poetry collection, Dog Show, to be published November 18, 2025. Featuring 25 dog-themed poems paired with Pamela Sztybel’s watercolor illustrations, the book celebrates canine companionship with his signature blend of humour and depth.
His enduring legacy lies in making poetry not just read but felt, shared, and lived.
Billy Collins Biography
William James “Billy” Collins was born on March 22, 1941, in New York City and raised in Queens and White Plains. He was raised by his mother, a nurse with a deep love of verse, and his father, a Wall Street worker, Collins developed an early affinity for language. He published his first poem at age 12 and later edited his high school’s literary magazine.
Collins earned a B.A. in English from the College of the Holy Cross in 1963. He then went on to complete an M.A. and Ph.D. in Romantic Poetry at the University of California, Riverside by 1971.
Academic Career & Rise to Poetry Stardom
After completing his Ph.D., Collins joined Lehman College, CUNY, as an English professor in 1968, a position he held for nearly five decades. In 1975, he co-founded The Mid-Atlantic Review, marking his entry into the literary world.
Although his early work, such as Pokerface (1977) and Video Poems (1980), received modest attention, his 1991 collection, Questions About Angels, won the National Poetry Series and brought him into the spotlight. Subsequent works, The Art of Drowning (1995), Picnic, Lightning (1998), and Sailing Alone Around the Room (2001) solidified his appeal with a balance of clarity, humor, and insight into the mundane.
Laureate Honors & Awards
Collins served as U.S. Poet Laureate (2001–2003) and New York State Poet Laureate (2004–2006). During his tenure, he launched the impactful Poetry 180 program for American high schools.
His work has garnered numerous accolades: the Mark Twain Prize for Humor in Poetry, fellowships from the NEA, Guggenheim, and New York Foundation for the Arts, Literary Lion, induction into the American Academy of Arts & Letters (2016), and several poetry magazine prizes.
Notable Works & Style
Collins was nicknamed “the most popular poet in America,” he is renowned for clear, conversational verse that opens with light humor and often ends with introspection. His major collections include:
- Questions About Angels (1991)
- The Art of Drowning (1995)
- Picnic, Lightning (1998)
- Sailing Alone Around the Room (2001)
- Nine Horses, The Trouble with Poetry, Ballistics, Horoscopes for the Dead, Aimless Love, The Rain in Portugal
- Recent volumes: Water, Water (2024); 60 reflective new poems
His editorial work includes Poetry 180, 180 More, and Bright Wings.
Personal Life & Perspectives
After retiring from Lehman in 2016, Collins moved to Winter Park, Florida, with his wife Suzannah, her children, and their pets. There, he relishes simplicity taking family walks, observing neighbors, and crafting short, haiku-like poems.
Renowned for live readings across NPR and New York literary circles, he emphasizes poetry’s communal nature: approachable, relevant, and rooted in everyday moments.
Net Worth & Financial Impact
While poetic earnings are modest, Collins is among the most commercially successful contemporary poets, commanding six-figure advances and earning thousands per public reading. His anthology success and mainstream appeal have expanded poetry’s reach.
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