Flames
Transcript: By Billy Collins Billy Collins, dubbed "the most popular poet in America"*, was the United States Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003. Then, from 2004 to 2006, he was the New York State Poet. Currently, he is a professor at Stony Brook Southampton. Universally Known Symbols The Poem 1. Smokey the Bear 3. Careless People Theme 2. Ranger's Hat Tone When Collins writes about how Smokey's hat is at a "disturbing angle", that gives the reader indication that something is wrong. Before that point in the poem, there isn't anything that directly shows anything wrong. The next sentence builds suspense because there also isn't anything wrong with it. The reader is left wondering why Smokey's hat is at a "disturbing angle". In the last sentence, the use of the word "professional" gives an impression of a job. In context, this is a twist to Smokey's real job, which is quite different. Smokey the Bear heads into the autumn woods with a red can of gasoline and a box of wooden matches. His ranger's hat is cocked at a disturbing angle. His brown fur gleams under the high sun as his paws, the size of catcher's mitts, crackle into the distance. He is sick of dispensing warnings to the careless, the half-wit camper, the dumbbell hiker. He is going to show them how a professional does it. Flames Born: March 22, 1941 Died: Not Yet Occupation: Poet * Weber, Bruce. "On Literary Bridge, Poet Hits a Roadblock." The New York Times. N.p., 19 Dec. 1999. Web. 20 May 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/19/us/on-literary-bridge-poet-hits-a-roadblock.html?pagewanted=1>. Due to the lack of people in large wildlife areas, readers also know the common occurrence of people setting things on fire by accident. This provides another common base for the poem. When Smokey the Bear is mentioned in the very first line, everyone knows who Collins is talking about. This gives a base for him to expand off of, knowing everyone is on the same page. Another useful point of using Smokey the Bear, especially with this poem, is that everyone knows what he does. This is why it's a big surprise when the last lines show up. It also allows Collins to allude to what will happen next without ever actually saying it. The End Smokey the Bear's ranger's hat is also universally known. Every time Smokey is ever seen in a drawing, he always has the hat. Not only does he have the hat, but it is also always straight. This means that when Collins says it's "at a disturbing angle", when the reader tries to visualize it, there's something unusual. The main theme of the poem is the frustration of not seeing advice being heeded. This poem exemplifies that idea by Smokey the Bear reaching his breaking point. It shows that he went so far that he'll show the causers of fires the consequences of their actions by doing what he's trying to prevent. Doing this, he hopes that people might actually pay attention to it. Choice of Words The Poet (Billy Collins) The tone is what Billy Collins uses to get the theme across. In this poem he uses satire to make it interesting and keep the viewer reading it, in addition to twisting Smokey the Bear's job around. This is directly related to the theme, because what he's doing is the opposite of his regular job. One way Collins gets the theme across is by directly stating it: "He is sick of dispensing / warnings to the careless". Another way he gets it across is by Smokey's sanity: "His ranger's hat is cocked / at a disturbing angle." These all combine to give an overall perception of the theme.
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