Here’s a short video poem by Billy Collins that took my fancy lately. I love how the colours and sounds of the animation complement the fantastic journey described:
Walking across the Atlantic
Billy Collins is that rare thing: a popular poet. Popular because his work captures the imagination and because it is accessible (though he prefers the word “hospitable” apparently. Now there are those among us (I work with one of them and am related to others) who pour scorn upon the very idea of poetry. Poetry! What’s the point of that? What good does that do? Good question. Here’s the poet’s better answer (from the Poetry 180 website):
Poetry can and should be an important part of our daily lives. Poems can inspire and make us think about what it means to be a member of the human race. By just spending a few minutes reading a poem each day, new worlds can be revealed.
Poetry 180 is a simple yet wonderful idea. 180 poems to be read on the 180 days of the school year. Just think how enriched your life might be if you read a single poem a day. The only problem is that many of us, strapped for time, or patience or imagination, don’t really know where to start. What kind of poets will strike my fancy? Will I even understand them? Just thinking of all those big tomes of serious serious poetry - gives me a headache! Well not to worry, Billy Collins has taken care of all that for you. The poems on the Poetry 180 were chosen for that very same quality of hospitality that has made Mr. Collins a bestseller. And he has even provided some USEFUL TIPS for the reader who may be overawed by the very idea of the POEM.
Now remember, I’m a big fan of the free stuff. You don’t need to buy Billy Collins’s books! There’s tonnes of it online!
Free Downloadable Audio Files Here!
A-Whole-Pile-of-Poems-You-Can-Read-At-Your-Leisure-Here!
And here’s one more of those animated videos I just can’t resist embedding:
