# Dr. W. S. Phillips explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A brief, whimsical poem about Dr. W. S. Phillips, president of the Aviation Club of Chicago, who predicts future air travel to New York before noon, with a playful twist about checking the moon's dryness.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Satire

The poem uses lighthearted fantasy about flying to the moon to satirize bold predictions of technological progress.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The speaker who reflects on Dr. Phillips' prediction and imagines a humorous lunar excursion.

## Key lines

> He tells me the time will come soon / When we’ll fly to New York before noon.

Dr. Phillips predicts that soon air travel will allow us to reach New York before midday.

_Expresses the optimistic vision of early aviation pioneers._

> I’m thinking we might / Start out early that night / And see if it’s dry on the moon.

The narrator playfully suggests departing at night to check the moon's surface conditions.

_Adds a humorous, absurd twist to the serious prediction._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/dr-w-s-phillips
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters