Poem A Day - 7/18/08 - "Flames"

Today is a cover, Sunday will probably be a cover as well. I don't know whether or not I'll be able to do more than a couple haiku for tomorrow, but I'll try. It's going to be a busy weekend, and pretty long as well.

This is a poem by Billy Collins. He's a more modern poet, and I really love this particular poem. I don't know how well my literal reading of it was, but I have also developed a number of 'readings' for this poem so I didn't know how best to deliver it. Hope everyone enjoys.

As usual, comments, subscriptions, ratings, and sharing with friends are both welcome and encouraged.

Flames
-Billy Collins

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.

I did not write this poem and cannot take credit for it. Al creative credit and copyright are, as far as I know, credited to Billy Collins.

Also, appearance number three by a red shirt.

Category:

Entertainment

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