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Novelists, playwrights, painters and others may hold in their heads the expectation of fame, but not poets. Having chosen that road, all one can dream of is the jealousy of one's rivals. Celebrity is unexpected and almost unseemly--it forces one to wear a constant look of chagrin, if that is possible. Unless you are Byron, who was the first poet to become a star. At its worst, fame means being known by strangers--enough to bring on waves of paranoia.
— Billy Collins
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Novelists, playwrights, painters and others may hold in their heads the expectation of fame, but not poets. Having chosen that road, all one can dream of is the jealousy of one's rivals. Celebrity is unexpected and almost unseemly--it forces one to wear a constant look of chagrin, if that is possible. Unless you are Byron, who was the first poet to become a star. At its worst, fame means being known by strangers--enough to bring on waves of paranoia." in the context of "" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source:
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Billy Collins
Billy Collins (born March 22, 1941) is an American poet, who was Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003 and the New York State Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006.
About Billy Collins
Billy Collins (born March 22, 1941) is an American poet, who was Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003 and the New York State Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006.
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