Billy+Collins

Billy Collins was born in New York City in 1941, he has written many book in poetry. His writing has been in diffrent things like, newspapers books, textbooks,etc. His work has been nominated for the annual //__Best American Poetry__// series. In 2001 Billy Collins was named as U.S. Poet Laureate. Other awards included fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Foundation. In 1992, he was picked by, New York Public Library to serve as "Literary Lion". He has also held #|classesat poetry workshops in Ireland at #|University CollegeGalway. Today he still lives in New York. ** ** **Embrace** ** ** You know the parlor trick. wrap your arms around your own body and from the back it looks like someone is embracing you her hands grasping your shirt her fingernails teasing your neck from the front it is another story you never looked so alone your crossed elbows and screwy grin you could be waiting for a tailor to fit you with a straight jacket one that would hold you really tight The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark that he barks every time they leave the house. They must switch him on on their way out.
 * Billy Collins
 * ** **Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House** ** **

The neibors dog will not stop barking. I close all the #|windowsin the house and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast but I can still hear him muffled under the music, barking, barking, barking,

and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra, his head raised confidently as if Beethoven had included a part for #|barking dog.

When the record finally ends he is still barking, sitting there in the oboe section barking, his eyes fixed on the conductor who is entreating him with his baton

while the other musicians listen in respectful silence to the famous #|barking dogsolo, that endless coda that first established Beethoven as an innovative genius

**Candle Hat** In most self-portraits it is the face that dominates: Cezanne is a pair of eyes swimming in brushstrokes, Van Gogh stares out of a halo of swirling darkness, Rembrant looks relieved as if he were taking a breather from painting The Blinding of Sampson.

But in this one Goya stands well back from the mirror and is seen posed in the clutter of his studio addressing a canvas tilted back on a tall easel.

He appears to be smiling out at us as if he knew we would be amused by the extraordinary hat on his head which is fitted around the brim with candle holders, a device that allowed him #|to workinto the night.

You can only wonder what it would be like to be wearing such a chandelier on your head as if you were a walking dining room or #|concerthall.

But once you see this hat there is no need to read any biogarphy of Goya or to memorize his dates.

To understand Goya you only have to imagine him lighting the candles one by one, then placing the hat on his head, ready for a night of work.

Imagine him surprising his wife with his #|new invention, the laughing like a birthday cake when she saw the glow.

Imagine him flickering through the rooms of his house with all the shadows flying across the walls.

Imagine a lost traveler knocking on his door one dark night in the hill country of Spain. "Come in, " he would say, "I was just painting myself," as he stood in the doorway holding up the wand of a brush, illuminated in the blaze of his famous candle hat.