Marginalia Lyrics

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

This poem is former American poet laureate Billy Collins’s ode to marginalia, the writing found in the “white perimeter” of a book.

Such marginalia, as Collins recounts here, are as old as the oldest books. Rap Genius in many ways updates this age-old tradition for the digital generation.

This poem is often cited as one of Collins' most popular poems.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

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