July 9, 2022

Billy Collins Poetry Animated

Billy Collins, former US Poet Laureate and one of America's best-selling poets, is not big on technology. As far as I know (based on a conversation way back in 2007), he was not big on using email or computers. But he recognizes the power of the web in promoting poetry. He has been doing a poetry podcast on Facebook that started in the Pandemic Times. His Poetry 180 project while he was Laureate is available online and in book form (including a sequel). 

Back when we had that 2007 conversation, there were 11 short animated films set to Billy reading his poems. There's not much information online about them. They are produced by JWT-NY. You can watch most of them on YouTube. I have embedded a few here to sample.

Here's an interpretation of Billy's poem "Forgetfulness" with animation by Julian Grey/Head Gear.


   

 "Budapest" is also animated by Julian Grey/Head Gear.


 
"Now and Then" is animated by Eun-ha Paek of Milky Elephant.



  

2 comments:

  1. Don't be so sure that BC is not big on technology, computers, email, and the Internet. As it happens, though he writes with a pencil in hand, he owns 3 computers that are for his use only. (The moral of the story: don't judge a book by its cover.)

    ; )

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  2. Well, anon - I'm just saying it based on things BC said to me (a few years ago). I'm OK him not being techie - more important that he embraces the USE of the technology whether it be animated poems, Poetry 180 online or whatever.

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