The Awful Truth About Billy Collins
She had
talked with
him.
She told me
he was just
doing a schtick,
doing what
other people
liked
because they
liked it,
and he acquired
laurels, accolades,
cultural cache,
popcult ubiquity.
We were on a date,
me and her in
downtown West
Hartford, CT, at an
upscale cafe,
sitting at a crooked
table, and I wanted
to not sweat and
have my water glass
fall over and all that
silly date stuff,
but I know the minute
I rolled my eyes
and clucked
that she wouldn’t call
me back.
And I’m still waiting.