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Advice to Writers Lyrics by Billy Collins

The Apple that Astonished Paris

1988

Even if it keeps you up all night,
wash down the walls and scrub the floor
of your study before composing a syllable.
Clean the place as if the Pope were on his way.
Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration.
The more you clean, the more brilliant
your writing will be, so do not hesitate to take
to the open fields to scour the undersides
of rocks or swab in the dark forest
upper branches, nests full of eggs.
When you find your way back home
and stow the sponges and brushes under the sink,
you will behold in the light of dawn
the immaculate altar of your desk,
a clean surface in the middle of a clean world.
From a small vase, sparkling blue, lift
a yellow pencil, the sharpest of the bouquet,
and cover pages with tiny sentences
like long rows of devoted ants
that followed you in from the woods.
Credits
Billy Collins

Billy Collins

About “Advice to Writers” by Billy Collins

Read the complete lyrics to "Advice to Writers" by Billy Collins from the album "The Apple that Astonished Paris" in 1988. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Advice to Writers" is performed by Billy Collins. from the album "The Apple that Astonished Paris" in 1988 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Advice to Writers", explore more songs by Billy Collins using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Advice to Writers" is credited to Billy Collins. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Advice to Writers" appears on "The Apple that Astonished Paris" in 1988.

Visit the Billy Collins artist page at /artist/billy-collins for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.