--- product_id: 8995954 title: "Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems" price: "AR$35332" currency: ARS in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.com.ar/products/8995954-sailing-alone-around-the-room-new-and-selected-poems store_origin: AR region: Argentina --- # Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems **Price:** AR$35332 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems - **How much does it cost?** AR$35332 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.ar](https://www.desertcart.com.ar/products/8995954-sailing-alone-around-the-room-new-and-selected-poems) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Sailing Alone Around the Room , by America’s Poet Laureate, Billy Collins, contains both new poems and a generous gathering from his earlier collections The Apple That Astonished Paris , Questions About Angels , The Art of Drowning , and Picnic, Lightning . These poems show Collins at his best, performing the kinds of distinctive poetic maneuvers that have delighted and fascinated so many readers. They may begin in curiosity and end in grief; they may start with irony and end with lyric transformation; they may, and often do, begin with the everyday and end in the infinite. Possessed of a unique voice that is at once plain and melodic, Billy Collins has managed to enrich American poetry while greatly widening the circle of its audience. Review: Expanding Your Mind One Poem at a Time - Billy Collins’ poetry collection "Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems" is a book for the average everyday reader or a reader who is new to poetry. Unlike poetry that is heavy in its meaning, metaphors, or use of older English such as poetry by William Shakespeare, John Milton, or Robert Frost, Collins creates poetry that is more accessible to the modern reader by making his poetry more approachable, especially if the reader is new to poetry. The different ways his poetry is more approachable is through his readability, language usage, relatable content, and his use of imagery. Readability Collins poetry is humorous, light, and insightful allowing an inexperienced reader to easily read through his poetry while also giving substance to the more devout poetry reader. He is able to gently guide the reader through a poem allowing the reader to smile, to get anxious, or to laugh without always having to look for a deeper meaning, as the surface of the poem is just as telling as the deeper meaning. Language Use His modern language is relatable to everyone in the modern age giving a feeling of inclusiveness to his poetry. New readers will be able to laugh with Collins in his poem “Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House”, while more experienced readers will enjoy other poems such as the poem “Litany”. Relatable Most of the poems within this collection have relatable content. There are multiple poems relating to school settings, and usually end up as parodies that give passing commentary as well as entertainment to this theme. If you are a history buff, then Billy Collins poems are for you as well, as many of his poems make comments on historical events. Overall, this collection has a variety of poems that allow almost all readers to connect with at least one poem. Imagery Another advantage of reading Collins’ poetry is his use of imagery. The reader does not need to struggle to understand the content because of the simplicity of the language he uses, and the ability to create an image in the reader’s mind. Collins’ poetry is good at creating an image in the reader’s head through the words he chooses to use. Billy Collins’ "Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems" will enhance your mind and life, while giving a new perspective on modern culture. Review: Take Collins Along - The first poem I read of Billy Collins' was "Forgetfulness". I am glad it is in this collection because it so well epitomizes the everyday nature of his poems, the way he speaks to us as if we were just visiting and he is describing some incident in his life, or expounding on something that matters to him. I could see him in the student lounge, in the leather chair next to the Rodin, at our local Dry Dock Brewery or at a coffee shop. He would be the one we would all gather around. I am the one, however, who posted that his reading style doesn't do justice to his writing. In retrospect, maybe his low key reading is nuanced to go with his poems. Now, that I have been trying to write poems, when I read his poems, I find myself wanting to mimic his writing style. One of the things I notice is that he doesn't hurry things, he doesn't summarize. I feel rushed in my writing, like I'm giving an acceptance speech at the Oscars and someone is standing off camera signaling me to wrap it up. Billy, though, for example, in "Fishing on the Susquehanna in July" takes 13 stanzas to describe how the closest he ever came to fishing on the Susquehanna was seeing a painting in a museum, in Philadelphia, of someone in a little boat fishing on the Susquehanna. These extra lines, though, give the poem its depth and reality and the well drawn images then stay with you. Billy Collins then goes deeper and adds themes to his basic subject matter. If Norman Rockwell had painted like Billy writes the pictures would not only have been warm slices of Americana, they would have contained poignant bits of reality such as maybe a woman looking bored at Thanksgiving Dinner or quarreling with whomever was seated by her. I like how he shares with us as if we were his close friends. For example, in "The Three Wishes" he goes through the first several stanzas showing how the foolish man and wife wasted the wishes they were granted. The man, hungry from work, wishes for sausages which angers his wife who then wishes the pan to stick to his nose. Collins discusses the moral of the story, the foolishness of the couple and what they could have had. Then, he ends, in an almost covert whisper by telling us that this story always makes him hungry for sausages. And of course he makes it all look so easy. Another favorite of mine is "Dharma" about his dog who "If only she did not shove the cat aside/every morning/and eat all his food/what a model of self-containment she would be". His use of line breaks and enjambment set the pace and place emphasis where he wants it. His techniques are subtle such as his use of consonance in this poem with brown coat, blue collar, steady breathing. He uses assonance too in this poem, earthly, eager, ears. It's neat that he became Poet Laureate, that he was recognized for what he offers. This collection of his is a great book, for yourself or as a gift for a dear friend. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #166,862 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #207 in Death, Grief & Loss Poetry (Books) #354 in Death, Grief & Bereavement Fiction (Books) #611 in American Poetry (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 420 Reviews | ## Images ![Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61DwK9yZJQL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Expanding Your Mind One Poem at a Time *by A***R on February 12, 2016* Billy Collins’ poetry collection "Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems" is a book for the average everyday reader or a reader who is new to poetry. Unlike poetry that is heavy in its meaning, metaphors, or use of older English such as poetry by William Shakespeare, John Milton, or Robert Frost, Collins creates poetry that is more accessible to the modern reader by making his poetry more approachable, especially if the reader is new to poetry. The different ways his poetry is more approachable is through his readability, language usage, relatable content, and his use of imagery. Readability Collins poetry is humorous, light, and insightful allowing an inexperienced reader to easily read through his poetry while also giving substance to the more devout poetry reader. He is able to gently guide the reader through a poem allowing the reader to smile, to get anxious, or to laugh without always having to look for a deeper meaning, as the surface of the poem is just as telling as the deeper meaning. Language Use His modern language is relatable to everyone in the modern age giving a feeling of inclusiveness to his poetry. New readers will be able to laugh with Collins in his poem “Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House”, while more experienced readers will enjoy other poems such as the poem “Litany”. Relatable Most of the poems within this collection have relatable content. There are multiple poems relating to school settings, and usually end up as parodies that give passing commentary as well as entertainment to this theme. If you are a history buff, then Billy Collins poems are for you as well, as many of his poems make comments on historical events. Overall, this collection has a variety of poems that allow almost all readers to connect with at least one poem. Imagery Another advantage of reading Collins’ poetry is his use of imagery. The reader does not need to struggle to understand the content because of the simplicity of the language he uses, and the ability to create an image in the reader’s mind. Collins’ poetry is good at creating an image in the reader’s head through the words he chooses to use. Billy Collins’ "Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems" will enhance your mind and life, while giving a new perspective on modern culture. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Take Collins Along *by T***T on March 9, 2012* The first poem I read of Billy Collins' was "Forgetfulness". I am glad it is in this collection because it so well epitomizes the everyday nature of his poems, the way he speaks to us as if we were just visiting and he is describing some incident in his life, or expounding on something that matters to him. I could see him in the student lounge, in the leather chair next to the Rodin, at our local Dry Dock Brewery or at a coffee shop. He would be the one we would all gather around. I am the one, however, who posted that his reading style doesn't do justice to his writing. In retrospect, maybe his low key reading is nuanced to go with his poems. Now, that I have been trying to write poems, when I read his poems, I find myself wanting to mimic his writing style. One of the things I notice is that he doesn't hurry things, he doesn't summarize. I feel rushed in my writing, like I'm giving an acceptance speech at the Oscars and someone is standing off camera signaling me to wrap it up. Billy, though, for example, in "Fishing on the Susquehanna in July" takes 13 stanzas to describe how the closest he ever came to fishing on the Susquehanna was seeing a painting in a museum, in Philadelphia, of someone in a little boat fishing on the Susquehanna. These extra lines, though, give the poem its depth and reality and the well drawn images then stay with you. Billy Collins then goes deeper and adds themes to his basic subject matter. If Norman Rockwell had painted like Billy writes the pictures would not only have been warm slices of Americana, they would have contained poignant bits of reality such as maybe a woman looking bored at Thanksgiving Dinner or quarreling with whomever was seated by her. I like how he shares with us as if we were his close friends. For example, in "The Three Wishes" he goes through the first several stanzas showing how the foolish man and wife wasted the wishes they were granted. The man, hungry from work, wishes for sausages which angers his wife who then wishes the pan to stick to his nose. Collins discusses the moral of the story, the foolishness of the couple and what they could have had. Then, he ends, in an almost covert whisper by telling us that this story always makes him hungry for sausages. And of course he makes it all look so easy. Another favorite of mine is "Dharma" about his dog who "If only she did not shove the cat aside/every morning/and eat all his food/what a model of self-containment she would be". His use of line breaks and enjambment set the pace and place emphasis where he wants it. His techniques are subtle such as his use of consonance in this poem with brown coat, blue collar, steady breathing. He uses assonance too in this poem, earthly, eager, ears. It's neat that he became Poet Laureate, that he was recognized for what he offers. This collection of his is a great book, for yourself or as a gift for a dear friend. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A review of Billy Collins' "Sailing Alone Around the Room" By: J. L. Carey Jr. *by J***. on October 31, 2008* It is evident when you read Billy Collins' "Sailing Alone Around the Room" that he has mastered the English language. There is a control over his work like that of a man over his well trained dog. Every word is finely crafted to serve a purpose. The finest examples of these can be found in the earlier works of the collection. From "The Apple That Astonished Paris" the selected poem "Earthling", page 11, is a wonderful example of his ability to create a poem that is both intelligent and accessible. The poem reminds us of our human habits, but also reminds us of our fragility as a species as we are "a respectful distance from the sun". The poem alludes to the greater cosmic what if? It is also humbling in a very subtle manner. There is a distinct humor laced with honesty that can be found in his poetry as well. He is, when he is at his best, unabashedly a man. From "The Art Of Drowning", his poem "Pinup", page 74, is a saucy romp through a calendar while waiting for his car to be repaired at the shop, to his poem "Victoria's Secret", page 109, selected from "Picnic, Lightning", which gives a detailed account of a "thumb wetting" flip through a lingerie catalog. The reader is given a true to life account and a laugh out loud journey into the human experience. There is at the height of this male perspective the riotous poem "Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Cloths", page 119, also from "Picnic, Lightning". It is a revealing poem in its ability to undress Dickinson's poetry through the humorous undressing of the poet herself. Collins wit is spectacular as he comments on "sailing toward the iceberg of her nakedness" and "how there were sudden dashes / whenever we spoke". Anyone who has read Dickinson will immediately appreciate his gentle poke at the trade mark dashes. Unfortunately, I found most of the newer poems to be lacking in the same zest as his earlier poems. They are well crafted though, and I especially enjoyed "Splitting Wood", page 123. "Splitting Wood" is deeply simplistic in form, but delivers its purpose with an elegance that far outweighs the other nineteen newer poems. This poem achieves what I believe every poem aspires to and that is, it speaks to the generations; past, present and future. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading because there is something for everyone within his pages. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.ar/products/8995954-sailing-alone-around-the-room-new-and-selected-poems](https://www.desertcart.com.ar/products/8995954-sailing-alone-around-the-room-new-and-selected-poems) --- *Product available on Desertcart Argentina* *Store origin: AR* *Last updated: 2026-10-28*