Billy Collins’ poem “On Turning Ten” is a fun poetry that explores all of the resonate qualities of a poem. It is philosophical about youth and discusses the relevancy of thinking about life from evolving eyes. Collins also nails the feeling of being a kid and what matters, especially during childhood. Technology was different when I was younger, not for better or worse, so I really identify with his thoughts on looking at the changing colors of his bike or playing fantastical pretend. This poem also briefly discusses the condescension that older people often pass onto younger people—a carpe diem mentality that only appears when trying to pass wisdom. But this sort of wisdom never really sheds any light on the pain we feel when falling upon “the sidewalks of life.”