Poetry

Whale Day: And Other Poems

Whale Day: And Other Poems

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  • Create Date：2021-11-14 06:51:37
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Billy Collins
  • ISBN：0399589775
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Summary

A wondrous collection from Billy Collins， former U。S。 Poet Laureate and New York Times bestselling author of The Rain in Portugal

Whale Day brings together more than fifty poems and showcases the deft mixing of the playful and the serious that has made Billy Collins one of our country's most celebrated and widely read poets。 Here are poems that leap with whimsy and imagination， yet stay grounded in the familiar， common things of everyday experience。 Collins takes us for a walk with an impossibly ancient dog， discovers the original way to eat a banana， meets an Irish spider， and even invites us to his own funeral。 Sensitive to the wonders of being alive as well as the thrill of mortality， Whale Day builds on and amplifies Collins's reputation as one of America's most interesting and durable poets。

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Reviews

Marie ，

2。5 starsI did like some of the poems and a few lines here and there。But just couldn't connect。 2。5 starsI did like some of the poems and a few lines here and there。But just couldn't connect。 。。。more

Alex ，

More solid work from Mr Collins。 You can't go wrong。 More solid work from Mr Collins。 You can't go wrong。 。。。more

Jonah Barton ，

The garland was my favorite poem from this book。

Ken ，

Ready to try these words on for size？Famous contemporary poet。Sounds like an oxymoron， I know， but if we were to nominate a living， breathing possibility， Billy Collins might very well be your man。 The former United States Poet Laureate is poetry royalty （though DNA tests are not allowed in Poetry World）。 Sir Billy of Collins， I like to call him -- the author of more than one collection I’ve deemed inspiring。Which is why I approached his recent 2020 release with some trepidation。 For writers， fa Ready to try these words on for size？Famous contemporary poet。Sounds like an oxymoron， I know， but if we were to nominate a living， breathing possibility， Billy Collins might very well be your man。 The former United States Poet Laureate is poetry royalty （though DNA tests are not allowed in Poetry World）。 Sir Billy of Collins， I like to call him -- the author of more than one collection I’ve deemed inspiring。Which is why I approached his recent 2020 release with some trepidation。 For writers， fame is a double-edged sword。 （Not that I wouldn’t fall on such a sword were it offered me！）Expectations become the albatross。 Does Collins meet them？My verdict is a decided “somewhat。” At times his new poems read less like poetry and more like fireside chats or even （God save us） bad Dad jokes （wait… do we even need “bad” in that expression？）。There’s a lot of bourgeoisie to these poems， for one。 Stories of a financially-comfortable， cosmopolitan traveler writing dispatches from Italy， Ireland， and lake-side cottages in Ontario。 There’s even a seven-stanza poem called “Massage，” an ode to that luxury few but the well-to-do can afford （tip required） with any regularity。 Stanza four is a two-lined clunker landing with these words: “While the right leg is being rubbed/the left leg is thinking I’m next。” （Dads reading this are allowed a chuckle。）Stanza five is an improvement， if only for an interesting aside shared with the reader:When I muttered sorryfor dozing off，she said no worries。She only mindedthe crying， which more people dothan you would think when they are touched。I ask you: How sad is that？Collins finds greatest success in the material that presently occupies him--mortality。 The collection includes works with titles like “Walking My Seventy-Five-Year-Old Dog，” “Life Expectancy，” “She’s Gone，” “Cremation，” “My Funeral，” “Anniversary” （in this case， of a death）， and “On the Deaths of Friends，” which includes this opening:Either they just dieor they get sick and die of the sicknessor they get sick， recover， then die of something else，or they get sick， appear to recover，then die of the same thing，the sickness coming backto take another bite out of youin the forest of your final hours。Aside from the pronoun jump from "they" to "you，" this stanza， holds up thanks to its truths self-evident and ends on a solid note with the alliterative mix， “in the forest of your final hours。” It turns something scary （death） into something rather beautiful （hey， at least there's nice scenery！）。Even the poem “Vivace！” which sounds lively as hell （if Hell were in Italy and， according to Dante， it is）， ends on a somber note with the line “for death is the magnetic north of poetry。” Hot， damn。 I could have used this as one of the inscriptions in my new book Reincarnation & Other Stimulants （end gratuitous plug of my book in the middle of reviewing someone else's book）。Overall， some vintage Collins here， diluted heavily by the weighty elixir of expectations -- the type thing famous poets not only get away with but get paid for。 If you’re seeking the likes of “The Lanyard，” “On Turning Ten，” and “Only Child，” -- poems about childhood that are Collins métier， you’ll likely be disappointed。 Yes， he has one here called “My Father’s Office， John Street， New York City， 1953，” which starts off wonderfully but it eventually gets lost while overthinking its landing。 Overall， then， it’s the mortality poems doing the lion’s share of propping up Billy by his reputation。Read for that purpose if no other， then。 There’s no reason to abandon Sir Billy of Collins， even if his armor isn’t exactly as shiny as it once was。 You think getting old， traveling from Ireland to Italy， and getting weekly massages is easy？3。5/5 。。。more

Marty Troyer ，

Another brilliant book of poems by Collins， the kind you could play in your car as an Uber driver so as not to offend anyone。

Nals ，

I started lukewarm， and then really warmed up to this collection。 I think that says more about me as a reader than the quality of the poems。 I also have started compiling a list of people who might like these， which is flattering。

Valerie Kolbinger ，

3。5

Stacy ，

I thoroughly enjoyed this volume — my first new Collins in several years。 As Collins approaches the end of his life， his meditations on living and dying have a new poignancy， without losing any of his old wry humor。 Reading these poems felt like a visit with an old friend。 It’s a good feeling。

Kathy D ，

Always enjoy his poetry， so simple but hits home。

Katie Eichler ，

I loved it， but I enjoyed other Billy Collins collections more。

Eric Williamson ，

Another 5⭐ endearing collection of poems from a favorite， Billy Collins。 Concise， insightful， and reflective poetry that expertly transforms the mundane to magical。 Always a pleasure to add a new Billy Collins book to my collection。

Emily ，

Nope

Susan ，

Billy Collins' poetry makes me happy even if the topic is sad or difficult。 His talent is taking the everyday minutiae and making it sublime。 Or he can take a profound subject and re-shape it to a more manageable state。 Billy Collins' poetry makes me happy even if the topic is sad or difficult。 His talent is taking the everyday minutiae and making it sublime。 Or he can take a profound subject and re-shape it to a more manageable state。 。。。more

Teena Chumber ，

When did I start and when did I finish。 This guy is too good。 I can stay in my couch， open front door and read his book in one sitting。 So relaxing。

Laurie Holding ，

Billy Collins is my latest crush， ever since I took his MasterClass online。 Never having tried free verse in earnest， I was hesitant to just throw my words onto the screen with abandon， so used to rules about meter and rhyme and stanza length and couplets。 So I've been reading Billy's work out loud up here in my office， sounding like that crazy lady I always dreamt of one day becoming。 Whale Day was not as good for me as the last volume I read， The Trouble With Poetry， but Collins still has my h Billy Collins is my latest crush， ever since I took his MasterClass online。 Never having tried free verse in earnest， I was hesitant to just throw my words onto the screen with abandon， so used to rules about meter and rhyme and stanza length and couplets。 So I've been reading Billy's work out loud up here in my office， sounding like that crazy lady I always dreamt of one day becoming。 Whale Day was not as good for me as the last volume I read， The Trouble With Poetry， but Collins still has my heart。 Here's one of my favorites from this volume， and now， after typing it all out， I realize that it's a sonnet， not like the ones I bend and break to fit the regulations of the traditional sonnet， but rather a modern sonnet， with all 14 lines， with a final couplet， but with Collins' steadfast desire to shed the rhyme and that old enemy， iambic pentameter。Sleeping on My SideEvery night， no matter where I amwhen I lie down， I turnmy back on half the world。At home， it's the east I ignore，with its theaters and silverware，as I face the adventurous west。But when I'm out on the roadin some hotel's room 213 or 402I could be pointed anywhere，yet I hardly care as long as youare there facing the other wayso we are defended in all degreesand my left ear is pressing downas if listening for hoofbeats in the ground。 。。。more

Sylvia Clare ，

Very much a narrative poetry form， little nuggets of stories in each one。 We found this an enjoyable read within our early morning poems and tea in bed routine now we are retired， choosing 5 or 6 each day to share and chat about before we get up for more mundane activities。 It depends on what you seek， I was not rapt but I was entertained， i was not held or drawan into hos world， but I could nod along with it pleasantly and recognise much we might share- being the same age roughly。 Defnitely wor Very much a narrative poetry form， little nuggets of stories in each one。 We found this an enjoyable read within our early morning poems and tea in bed routine now we are retired， choosing 5 or 6 each day to share and chat about before we get up for more mundane activities。 It depends on what you seek， I was not rapt but I was entertained， i was not held or drawan into hos world， but I could nod along with it pleasantly and recognise much we might share- being the same age roughly。 Defnitely worth trying out of poetry is your thing as it is so much ours。 。。。more

Katherine VanderSluis ，

I was unsure about listening to a poetry book rather than reading it， but this was read by the poet， and I enjoyed it。 Nice variety， contemplative， deep at times。

Allen Steele ，

I dont know if im considered a fan:？I own all his booksI have read all his booksThink poetry laureate is a cool titleMaybe i am， Some of these were dark with content indicative of a man getting older in life experiencing a shift from the real to abstract。 I can tell that his subjects are more like where and what he will become。The writing was actually some of his best work， wonderful observations and the power to describe detail exquisitely。

Dianne ，

Treasures continue to rise up as I choose this book for bedtime or late afternoon reading。。。。。

Joanne ，

I am not worthy to write a review of the great Billy Collins， but Publisher’s Weekly puts it nicely -and IMO， accurately- by calling this book a collection of ‘quirky humor and quiet epiphanies’ 。

Joe ，

Playful as ever！ I’ll probably raise the rating when I come back to it。

Mary Miller ，

I love the poetry of Billy Collins。 Poems about ordinary life sketched with cleverness and insight。

Eileen Kennedy ，

Collins never fails to please。

thomas ，

I usually give Billy 5 stars but I took one off because he seems a bit too obsessed with his mortality。 More than a few poems are about death。But in classic BC-style his death poems have a bit of life in them。

Sarah ，

I hadn't read a Collins collection before， but I definitely enjoyed this one。 The poems are very descriptive without being esoteric， and easily to read。 Whale Day， the title poem， was particularly fun and thoughtful - why isn't there a full day dedicated to thinking of the whales？ （Although it turns out， the third Sunday is actually "World Whale Day"！） Other favorite poems were Sleeping on my Side and The Yellow Wood， while another one I really liked was Banana School - every time of the kiddos I hadn't read a Collins collection before， but I definitely enjoyed this one。 The poems are very descriptive without being esoteric， and easily to read。 Whale Day， the title poem， was particularly fun and thoughtful - why isn't there a full day dedicated to thinking of the whales？ （Although it turns out， the third Sunday is actually "World Whale Day"！） Other favorite poems were Sleeping on my Side and The Yellow Wood， while another one I really liked was Banana School - every time of the kiddos ate their banana from the other end this week， I thought about it！"day" 。。。more

Raven Black ，

Poems with accessible language and images represent life and death。 The humor and absurd mix with the seriousness。 Even if a story is about badgers playing trumpet or furture mother's and fathers passing each other on trains， they are relatable and speak out。 Poems with accessible language and images represent life and death。 The humor and absurd mix with the seriousness。 Even if a story is about badgers playing trumpet or furture mother's and fathers passing each other on trains， they are relatable and speak out。 。。。more

Jules1921 ，

My favorite poem is the title poem， whale day。

Corinne ，

After 4 years， I’m so glad he has published another book。 He remain my very favorite poet。

Ryan ，

Whale Day: And Other Poems， published in 2020， is the latest from Billy Collins。 I suspect that much of Collins' work cleverly charms readers in spite of any differences between them and the poet。 There are familiar topics here， such as refreshing coffee and adorable mice， but this time the reflections didn't work for me， sorry。 Relative to his recent work， I note that there is much less travel than in 2016's The Rain in Portugal， and much more reflection on mortality and the passing of his love Whale Day: And Other Poems， published in 2020， is the latest from Billy Collins。 I suspect that much of Collins' work cleverly charms readers in spite of any differences between them and the poet。 There are familiar topics here， such as refreshing coffee and adorable mice， but this time the reflections didn't work for me， sorry。 Relative to his recent work， I note that there is much less travel than in 2016's The Rain in Portugal， and much more reflection on mortality and the passing of his loved ones。 I note with some sadness that Collins is now 80。And yet， in looking him up， he has also recently married， and there are a few poems that touch on that relationship。 His wife， Suzannah Gail-Collins， has written an account of their relationship and the age gap between them， entitled "An Ideal Husband？ My May-December Romance。" I note that it might be interesting to pair her account with Susan Gubar's memoir， Late Life Love。Perhaps I'll read Whale Day again at a later date and have a more powerful response。 。。。more

Jessica Chapman ，

I dunno。 A little too twee for me， but it helped that I kept flipping back to look at his kindly face on the back cover。 I liked his thoughts on mortality。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Whale Day: And Other Poems

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Whale Day: And Other Poems&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Whale Day: And Other Poems&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0