Musical Tables

Musical Tables / Billy Collins / Penguin Random House, November 15, 2022 - $26 (Hardcover)

Musical Tables, the newest release from former United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins, is a refreshing embrace of minimalistic, short form poetry: Paired with themes of nature, romance, and mortality, Collins’ distinct humor and light-hearted style leaves the reader with tiny bundles of poetic whimsy. While his poems are playful and cheeky, Collins’ poetic prowess shines best in his serious poems, where he accesses a powerful surrealism  that leaves the reader with a more lasting impression.

Collins writes at the end of the collection that “small poems are drastic examples of poetry’s way of squeezing large content into tight spaces.” Musical Tables is certainly a poetic exercise in packing an emotional punch. Poems like “View From a Bridge” and “A Memory” succeed beautifully, creating something truly introspective and meaningful out of just a few simple lines. 

For the lover of whimsy and wit, look no further than Musical Tables— but readers looking for a more complex, serious collection from Billy Collins might prefer early collections like Questions About Angels.

--Gabrielle Pereira