Flame the Cat : Analysis

‘Flame the Cat’, a poem written by William Hart Smith, is a piece of poetry consisting of 6 stanzas, each comprised of 4 lines of non-rhyming verse and with figurative language devices strewn across its content. The poem itself is an extended metaphor that compares a cat to a fire.

The poem uses these figurative language devices to create an intricate plot and deeper meaning revolving around two vastly opposite ideas: Destruction and Restoration.

In the stanzas 1-3, the poet describes the destructive side of nature. Specifically, comparing Flame to a wild cat. He also expresses the anticipation of a fierce fire destroying the nature and morsels that reside. This is exemplified in various lines of verse throughout the first stanzas. For example, in the second stanza, the four lines of verse describes the preparation and actions a wild cat takes during its hunting process and compares it to how a fire acts. This gives the effect of a fierce flames taking advantage of hot weather conditions to strike and engulf the surrounding nature, as does a predator take advantage of camouflage to surprise and make a meal out of its prey.

In stanzas 4-6, the poet describes the restoration side of nature that occurs after the havoc brought by a raging fire. This has been portrayed through several instances across the three stanzas. For example in the line, “Saliva for black wounds”, saliva is rain and the black wounds are the burnt flora and trees, suggesting that this line refers to rain pouring down on burnt and blackened areas to heal its wounds. Figurative language has been used to imply that regardless of the aftermath of destruction, its counter part, restoration will always occur and may replenish nature’s state to an even better quality.

Throughout the poem, the poet has strategically and creatively utilised figurative language devices to convey different images and ideals and to paint intricate scenes in the readers mind.

A metaphor located, in the third line of verse in stanza one has been utilised to depict the ‘Flame’ as a wild cat. The line reads “Flame, the wild cat” . When you think of a wildcat, our minds may think of large felines of the jungle such as lions, cheetahs, tigers, leopards, panthers, etc. All these animals are strong, fierce and aggressive. The poet has used this association to make the fiery ‘Flame’ appeal fierce and strong. Hence, a metaphor has been used to make ‘Flame’ seem vicious and aggressive.

Personification has been used to solidify the capability of Flame’s destructive nature, being given the predator characteristic of preparing to consume its prey. This example is seen in the second stanza. As mentioned before, the second stanza describes how a wild cat hunts, staying low and waiting for the perfect time to strike. It also personifies Flame with this nature, relating to how a fire usually strikes during tepid weathers. The low crouch and stealthy approach, the snarl and the spring, all actions both fire and predators take to attack. Therefore, personification has been used to solidify flames predator-like nature towards its prey, the environment.

Lastly, the poet has used another metaphor, found in the second line of verse of stanza five. It reads “Her flame is green leaf”. Referring to the context, we know this section of the poem describes the restoration by nature after a disaster. When he says “Her flame” it may refer to nature’s rehabilitation. Green leaves are signs of healthy growth in a plant or sapling. Hence, from this metaphor, readers can infer that nature combats destruction by replenishing the natural Flora and Fauna.

This poem has ideologies that we can apply to our everyday lives across various aspects. For instance we can take the ideals from this piece and apply it to being mindful in our day-to-day lives. We could take the meaning that regardless of the aftermath of disaster, the balance in our minds will always be restored to its original lush and peaceful state. We can also extract the idea of impermanence from this poem. Impermanence, that is that everything is always changing in our minds, our bodies, and the world around us. This could be exemplified from the poems ideology of the everlasting cycle of fire’s destruction and nature’s restoration. Therefore this poem represents several levels of deeper meaning and it all depends on what you infer and what you learn from its deeper meaning.

To summarise, the poem “Flame, the Cat” by William Hart Smith is an intricate poem that describes the everlasting cycle of flame’s destruction and nature’s restoration. Various figurative language devices have been used to provide several layers of depth to the poem and helps the reader to infer their own deeper meaning from the poem’s content, whether it be that a blue sky will always come after a storm, or that everything will always change in our minds, bodies and surrounding nature.

Written by Viv Sriniketh