The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Collins, Billy. “The Invention of the Saxophone.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/148012/the-invention-of-the-saxophone. Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.

“The Invention of the Saxophone” is a seven-stanza free-verse poem by Billy Collins, the former American poet laureate. It first appeared in his collection The Art of Drowning in 1995, alongside other poems that depicted everyday life of American people. Collins is known for his colloquial, accessible language. The poem explores the cultural impact of saxophone music, highlighting its secular and religious contrasts, ending with a biblical scene in which the saxophone plays a starring role.