Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins has a problem. It seems everything the poet/author of “The Trouble With Poetry and Other Poems” does sells out. For instance, his “An Evening with Billy Collins” for the Friends of the Dallas Public Library on Thursday, November 14, at The Room on Main is a done deal.
In addition to having Billy, the evening is also going to honor long-time community leaders Norma and Don Stone with proceeds of the evening providing “direct support to the Dallas Public Library system including its 29 locations and two Bookmobiles by allowing the Friends to provide new technology, training and a range of special programs like English as a second-language (ESL) and GED classes and this past year’s Big Read.”
As if that wasn’t heady enough, a look at the New York Times’ fiction best-seller list will reveal that Billy’s book of poetry is right there in the top 10 level. Makes you want to buy a copy just to see what all the excitement is about (sorry about ending that sentence with a preposition). Well, you won’t be able to on Amazon. It’s sold out. But that’s sorta typical of Billy’s works. His last “three collections of poems have broken sales records for poetry.”
Luckily, Tri-Chairs Karen Blumenthal, Gay Donnell and Julia Simon have arranged for you to participate even if you can’t attend. They’ve put together raffle packages including such names as Neiman Marcus, Dallas Mavericks, Betty Reiter, travel, Dallas Theater Center and a five-course dinner at Suze Restaurant for four and a five-course tasting dinner for eight with paired wine at Seasons 52 plus gift cards. Raffle tickets are just $20 per or $100 for six. Bargain time!
But take heart. Even if you can’t attend the dinner or raffle, you can still support the library by becoming a Friend of the DPL. Or, since you’ve been trying to find a truly unique Christmas gift for that hard-to-please type, why not get them a membership?
BTW, if you haven’t visited a Dallas library lately, especially the downtown mother ship, you’ve missed the treasure troves of Dallas chock filled with history and information plus staffs that can handle any question.
* Graphic courtesy of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library