Reading this felt a little bit like having an old man chat nonsense at you on the bus. Does some of it start like it's going to sound wise, moving and profound? Sure, but then he starts clucking like a chicken and the moment's passed.

(Yes, there are actually chicken clucks in these poems).

Observational, pondering, aimless-feeling poems that really didn't strike me in any particular way except for how I wasn't really enjoying the company and was ready to move seats and be away with it.

Poetry books are difficult for me to review. We oftentimes do not read a book of poetry straight through. We pick and choose and go back and forth and the book may go unread for days or weeks until we pick it up and read again.

Collins, a former United States Poet Laureate, has chosen 60 poems for this book. In it he covers the beauties and ironies of everyday experiences. Taking simple everyday experiences and activities, he elevates the experience to something that we may remember long after the mundane event he describes. A poem that resonates for one person leaves another person feeling nothing, and so it goes.

In "Water, Water," Billy Collins once again demonstrates why he is one of America’s most beloved poets. Known for his wit, accessibility, and ability to find profundity in the everyday, Collins delivers a collection of sixty new poems here, exploring the "joys and mysteries of daily life" whether he’s reflecting on a cat drinking from a pool, pondering the enigma of a Monet painting, or imagining Adam naming animals in the Garden of Eden. Poems like *Sunday Drive* encapsulate his gift for balancing existential musings with humor, blending the profound with the playful:
“No, I drove on with the radio up loud / and the windows down, content to keep those tidings to myself, / a faithless congregation of one.”

By focusing on the mundane, Collins avoids much of the pretension often associated with contemporary poetry, opting instead for conversational language and themes that resonate universally. Yet, as he has noted in interviews, his poems often start with clarity but drift into moments of mystery, leaving readers with lingering questions or fresh perspectives. For example, in "The Monet Conundrum," Collins likens his poems to Monet’s haystacks—each unique yet interconnected, asking if they are different works or variations on the same theme. And by implication, does that question apply to all art, or even all of everyday life?

The collection explores themes of time, memory, mortality, and the small joys of existence. Religion and spirituality, too, make appearances—sometimes with reverence, other times with wry skepticism. The titular poem, "Water, Water," epitomizes Collins’ ability to weave humor and profundity, offering readers “just enough water to fill the lake exactly to the brim.”

Other standout poems include:
- "BC/AD," which humorously contemplates students’ struggles with history.
- "The Cardinal," a poignant reflection on the sacredness of private observations.
- "Deep Time," a meditation on how small human conflicts are in the expanse of time.
- "Emily Dickinson in Space," an exploration of how poetry can connect humans.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Collins is an absolute gem in the current world of poetry. His willingness to add a lighter element to his work is welcomed and appreciated and creates a poignancy that goes to the heart of a reader.

I received an advance review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

As usual, Billy Collins' poems - these about the everyday - are wonderful. Thank-you to NetGalley, Random House, and Mr. Collins for the ARC of this title

I encountered Billy Collins decades ago (certainly before he served as U.S. poet laureate from 2001 to 2003) at an outdoor concert where we both were waiting for the orchestra to break so we could return to our seats. I was gobsmacked when the man with whom I had enjoyed a brief exchange took the stage and read a few of his poems. Mr. Collins was my gateway to poetry. His poems are accessible, charming and engaging with a depth that lurks beneath the simplicity of his language. He has a unique way of viewing the ordinary and making it extraordinary. In this collection of 60 new poems — some of which are among the best he has written — Mr. Collins creates moments of sheer delight. Little gems to savor. Thank you Random House and Net Galley for this fine collection of poetry that is such a respite from the daily grind.

Poetry about the everyday mundane tasks can be beautiful, breathless and that is what Collins has done. You don’t have to be a scholar to enjoy these poems. These poems are sweet, delightful slice of life stories that reminds the readers to take a deep breath and take everything one day at a time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for sending me this ebook for review consideration.

Water, Water is a perfect example of classic Billy Collins at his best. His poetry is accessible as ever, relatable, magical, and most importantly so much fun to read. His simplicity is a part of the beauty of his poetry, and it is extremely visible here. Poems in this collection come across as very teachable from an education perspective and perfect for fostering a love of poetry in young reluctant readers. They are comforting and poignant. One of my favorite poems in this collection is Aubade, which directly references Philip Larkin's poem by the same name with a starkly dissonant tone. I love allusions of all kinds, but this one emphasizes the different vibes of the poets highlighting what Collins does best: composing relatable, realistic, warm poems of comfort and metaphysical sustenance.

Typically there is a large dose of humor found in the poetry by Billy Collins. This collection does have some of that here, but not to the degree that is usually found. Overall, they are still accessible poems.

There are sixty poems broken into four unequal parts. Many of these poems were previously published in magazines or journals through the years, and are collected here together. I found it hard to find a connecting theme for all of them other than observations about everyday life and surprise, which is fairly typical of his poems.

Another highly enjoyable collection by a past U.S. Poet Laureate.

didn’t hate this, but it really didn’t move me.

the collection starts out very strong & since i had never read billy’s work before, i was genuinely impressed. however, as it went on, it reallly lost my interest.

i genuinely enjoyed ‘ode to joy’ & ‘a change of heart’, but that’s really all i can say stood out to me.

i don’t see the overall theme of these poems or why they were all chosen to be in a collection together. that & the inward nature of their content, when i already don’t know much about the poet, made the disconnect while reading even stronger.

i think i could enjoy another collection of his & may try reading one to round out my experience. he’s by no means a bad poet, this just didn’t elicit much (or any) feeling from me.

many thanks to netgalley & the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

A new Billy Collins collection is always something to look forward to and this one provides its own unique pleasures as he continues his keen observations and poetic insights as he grows older.

i love reading beautiful language, and part of that for me is really loving when frank and un-flowery language is used to beautiful effect. this collection really struck me that way! poetry is at its best for me when it casually turns over the most insignificant rocks to expose some view i wouldn't have seen or thought about, human experiences that are not universal, but rather emotionally understandable. Collins is doing that here, in ways that were more or less relatable to me in their specifics, but were full of feelings and interesting observations and straightforward words for un-straightforward things.

this isn't to say that there are no stunning poetic turns of phrase here—there are—but the strength of this collection is in ordinariness, i think, and Collins' willingness to make fun of himself a bit. charming self-deprecation is hit or miss for me, but these poems mostly hit!

Billy Collins was my first introduction to poetry. I distinctly remember wandering into Barnes and Noble, freshly ten, deciding that I should branch out and grab a poetry book so that I could stretch my freshly developed literary muscles. My ten-year-old brain instantly gravitated towards the book with a dog on a tricycle on the front, and so my now worn and dust cover-less copy of Aimless Love accompanied me on every car ride, camping trip, and school day for the next couple of years, until I could all but recite half of the poems by heart.

Needless to say, Billy Collins holds a very special and sentimental part of my heart, and I was beyond ecstatic to be approved for the ARC of Collins' most recent poetry collection, Water, Water. Collins' poetry lives and breathes love and tenderness. His slice-of-life approach to depicting beauty in small things adds a layer of softness and ease to his works. Additionally, his poems are beautiful, immersive, and very approachable, with the language devoid of pretentiousness.

The standout pieces for me were "Emily Dickinson in Space" and "The Cardinal"!!!!

My favorite poem in this volume was Anniversary which I am still thinking about. A boy born on the day you died so his age corresponds with the number of years you've been gone, each year remembering this. I also Like the Emily Dickinson poem where her poem is in space. I love when Collins writes of Emily D or narrates his poetry. This overall was an interesting collection, just not as strong as others. Now where's Bill Murray to narrate?

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Several years ago, I listened to a Master Class featuring Collins. I enjoyed learning about his writing process in a series of insightful episodes.

Following this, I read the poet’s collection Whale Day. Now, I have spent time with Water Water, reading a poem a day so as to savor this collection of sixty poems.

Some people veer away from poetry fearing that it is too highbrow or that they won’t understand a verse. Collins is not like that. His poems are written in, what I find, to be a direct and clear style. Readers can choose those that they prefer but they will not feel bewildered overall. The poems often reference every day life and end with something to ponder. So many are worth the reader’s time.

It is easy to recommend this collection.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this title. All opinions are my own.

I generally never find myself going for happier poems (some bad commentary on my life I guess) but these were really nice and refreshing at a generally upsetting time. I'm glad I took the time to read them.

I felt for a while that many of Collins’ poems read almost like mini-vignettes and nowhere is it more exemplified than here in Water, Water.

My favorite poems were:
“When a Man Loves Something”
“Addressing the Heart”
“The Guardian”
“Display Case”
“Fire in the Movies”

I don't read a lot of poetry, so I was a little afraid I wouldn't understand it completely, that I might not "get" it. But I loved sitting down to a poem or two every night, and taking the time to savor the language and imagery, and to find myself back in the mind of Billy Collins and his insightful observations. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a chance on poetry, but might be scared to try. And I look forward to discussing it with poets who know more than I do, and to discover more.

I,ve loved Billy Collins's poems for decades, and this latest collection does not disappoint. The best hing wbout his poems is that they make me view the world a little differently, and that is a wonderful thing.

I don't read much poetry these days, but I was delighted to be able to read new poems by Billy Collins. I think he is able to write poetry that is at once uniquely about his own life and relatable to many others. He is able to look at everyday things and find the joys and mysteries buried beneath the surfaces. I find myself looking at the world around me with new eyes after reading his work. Because he is so accessible, I find it easy to suggest his work to any customers even open to the idea of reading poetry.