Collins, Billy (1941- )

US poet. Known for his graceful, moving, ironic and witty poetry, he was Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress 2001-03. His volumes of poetry include The Apple that Astonished Paris (1988), Questions about Angels (1991), The Art of Drowning (1995), Picnic, Lightning (1997), Sailing Alone Around the Room (2001), and Nine Horses (2002).

He has served as professor of English at Lehman College, City University of New York; writer in residence at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York; and poet in residence at Burren College of Art in Ireland. He also released a CD of his own poetry reading, The Best of Cigarette (1997).