In celebration of its 15th year, the Gaithersburg Book Festival will host former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins for a special free event from 7-9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, at the Asbury Methodist Village Rosborough Cultural Arts Center in Gaithersburg. Mr. Collins will share his new book, “Musical Tables,” followed by a book signing and reception.
Dubbed “the most popular poet in America” by Bruce Weber in The New York Times, Mr. Collins is “famous for conversational, witty poems that welcome readers with humor but often slip into quirky, tender, or profound observations on the everyday, reading and writing, and poetry itself.”
The Asbury Methodist Village Rosborough Cultural Arts Center is located at 409 Russell Ave. in Gaithersburg.
Tickets are required for the free event. Tickets will be released at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, via Eventbrite. There is a limit of two tickets per email address. Look for the ticket link on the GBF website at that time.
“What a way to kick off our 15th year, hosting one of America’s most beloved poets,” said Jud Ashman, Festival founder and chair, who also serves as Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg. “It is a real honor to bring the great Billy Collins to Gaithersburg and give our community a chance to get to know our former U.S. Poet Laureate and a real master in the poetry space.”
Mr. Collins served two terms as the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2001-03, was New York State Poet Laureate from 2004-06 and is a regular guest on National Public Radio programs. In 2002, Mr. Collins was asked to write a poem commemorating the first anniversary of the fall of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
Collins is the author of 12 collections of poetry including “Whale Day,” “The Rain in Portugal,” “Aimless Love,” “Horoscopes for the Dead,” “Ballistics,” “The Trouble with Poetry,” “Nine Horses,” “Sailing Alone Around the Room,” “Questions About Angels,” “The Art of Drowning” and “Picnic, Lightning.” He is also the editor of “Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry,” “180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day” and “Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds.”
Mr. Collins’ books will be available to purchase onsite, courtesy of GBF bookseller partner Politics & Prose.