Camp has become a staple of the summer season. Each year, millions of children, youth, and adults head to the hills, lakes, valleys, and parks to participate in the time-honored tradition of camp. And, while most people easily conjure up images of campfires and canoes, there is a lot more to the camp experience. In Billy Collins’ poem, “The Lanyard”, he not only captures the activities that go on at camp, he uses an object, a lanyard, which pushes the reader’s thoughts towards something deeper and much more meaningful. The theme of the poem essentially states that a mother does so much for her children without expecting anything spectacular in return, a simple lanyard will suffice and that that should never be forgotten or taken for granted.