A remedy for a country sick from overexposure to the constant buzz of 24-hour cable news programs, magazines and newspapers touting an impending war, threats of terrorism and questionable homeland security, poetry could make a comeback.

Billy Collins is one person who believes in the power of poetry to shift focus from fear to the simplicity of a teacup or a slant of light, providing a reader with the sense of a shared experience. Collins will be at the campus of San José State University Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, courtesy of the school's literary arts series.

As the current U.S. poet laureate, Collins has spent much of the year, visiting schools across the country, holding public readings and generally carrying the flag for the significance of poetry.

"Poetry tends to deal with essentials—life, grief and love," Collins said in a telephone interview. "Each genre of poetry specializes in human emotion and reminds you that you're not alone. Poetry honors that quiet, contemplative place—it's more peaceful."

With any luck Collins' responsibilities as poet laureate will influence another generation of readers and pull them into a world of well-chosen words and thought-provoking metaphors.

Having written poetry since he was a teenager, Collins found widespread appreciation for his work in his 40s. His best-selling books, written in accessible language that appeals to a diverse audience, have found great critical acclaim in recent years.

As one of his first actions as poet laureate, Collins created a national program in an effort to introduce poetry to teenagers. "Poetry 180" was designed for high schools across the country to bring contemporary poetry to students every morning. Collins posted 180 pieces by current poets on his website so teachers and students could easily choose one piece a day to read aloud, preferably on an intercom system after morning announcements, to the entire student body.

Each poem, chosen with teenagers in mind, has the potential to inspire and possibly cause even the most angst-filled 15-year-old to think about what it means to be a part of the human race.

"I knew we had to make poetry more palatable to adolescents," says Collins of the high school program.

Realistic about the declining interest in poetry, Collins sees the old school of teaching as part of the problem.

"In my day you would take a survey course and start with Chaucer ... a terrible place to start," explains Collins, who believes a student can eventually make their way to such a classic poet. "I always thought it should be taught backwards and bring students up to date."

"There are so many fresh and clear voices in contemporary poetry," continues Collins. "It can be a doorway into a larger house of poetry."

He discusses the subject in the following poem he wrote for his book, Sailing Alone Around the Room.

"Introduction to Poetry"

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to water-ski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with a rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

Collins will read Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at the School of Music and Dance Concert Hall on the campus and Nov. 1 at noon at Spartan Memorial Chapel, also at SJSU. Admission for both events is free and open to the public. Visit www.litart.org or call 408.924.4600 for more information about the literary series.

Poet Laureate Billy Collins