Poet Billy Collins reads poetry at White House Poetry Night

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Famed poet Billy Collins reads The Lanyard at the White House Poetry Night. Billy Collins, Rapper Common, Rita Dove and Jill Scott were some of the poets featured.

[@kconetwothree6547]

The final lines of Forgetfullness always brings tears to my eyes, it is so heartbreakingly beautiful.

[@cufflink44]

And soon we'll be able to have things like Poetry Nights at the White House again.

[@benspoetrychannel2109]

Billy Collins is fantastic! He's one of my favorite poets. I actually enjoy reading his poetry. Too many other poems are too hard for me to understand. The "Lanyard" poem is the perfect poem for Mother's Day.

[@zaifel201]

Love at first read. That's how i would describe my experience when I first laid my eyes on Billy Collins' work. He's really good with words.

[@leonardevans8691]

BC taps into both humour and poignancy, with subtle literacy skill, and both are a recognition of truth.

[@melissalandis4040]

I've had a literary crush on Billy Collins since I first read his work!

[@marthamagee2055]

Join the club!

[@jokerllyourchancetoblowll1632]

This is so phenomenal and deep, Thank you for uploading !!

[@clanderson12]

he was GREAT~~~ love every word!!!

[@rievans57]

Love me some Billy-

[@alokanandadey3162]

Terrific!

[@suefielding1834]

great poem, thank you

[@anneb5734]

luv it!

[@manuotehau]

Lovely!

[@benspoetrychannel2109]

This "useless worthless thing I wove out of boredom" reminds me of that Oscar Wilde quote: The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. You know the saying about gifts, "It's the thought that counts"? Well, maybe it really is the thought that counts.

[@RobertHarrison-zx9td]

Poetry in whatever style is poetry, that is according to the poet. I refer to myself as a poet but in a style that I like, that is rhyming poetry. I have tried to enjoy poets like Billy Collins and his works but I cannot, for they do not rhyme. I am not a well-known poet, in fact, I only have a few printed on the Net, and I am happy to see that some folk are reading them. So I say to poets the likes of Billy "Write as you see fit", my attempts will however still rhyme.

[@leonardevans8691]

With Biden getting in, I'm sure there will be a poetry night at the White House again.

[@Clorwall]

This is one of the most heartbreaking poems I know. I don't understand why people are laughing, and it kind of ruins it.

[@leonardevans8691]

They're laughing because it's a recognition of reality. The image of the two masks-the comedy and tragedy of life sitting side by side.

[@babybluebooks]

your www. copyright overshadows the closed caption. OK if you would increase the volume.

[@cafrombig4159]

Damn, what a....

[@not2tees]

One of the great schmoozer poets . . .

[@mickymillersson4376]

Time for Trump to repeat this?!!!

[@saintbeardington3273]

"Poetry" is in a sad.... sad state

[@collybeans586]

+Saint Beardington indeed.

[@PK-re3lu]

Indeed. Much like literature... The sad thing is no one has noticed or even cares :(

[@kbob707]

Yes, I agree but it's not so much the sad state of the poetry as it is the state of the world it describes.