Helen reads Martha and Skits a poem by a guy named Billy Collins she's studying for her school assignment about how nobody likes a wet dog, while T.D., who's also studying and reveals that they have to write their own poems, sits nearby. Martha is confused as to how the piece could be a poem if it doesn't rhyme, but Helen says that poems don't have to rhyme; they just have to sound catchy.
Martha still doesn't understand, so in the yard, Helen reads her more poems by Billy Collins. Upon noticing that this poet writes many poems about dogs and seems to understand them well, Martha and T.D. wonder if he's actually a dog in disguise.
At the corner store, Helen, Alice, and T.D. are talking about their poems. Both girls have decided what they want to write about (Alice about Nelson and Helen about her pencil) but T.D. is having trouble. Later, Martha feels sorry for T.D. with his struggles to write a poem, but perks up when Bert reveals that the real Billy Collins is coming to town. Martha thinks he could help them and she, Skits, Francois, and one other dog run off.
She goes into the library, where a man is reading a book, and asks a woman when Billy Collins will show up. The woman reveals that the man is Billy Collins. Martha walks up to Billy and frowns at him, then yells out that he's an "impostor", demanding they call the police. Her dog friends run rampant around the library, and Martha demands to know where the "real" Billy Collins is. Then, the police show up and kick the dogs out.
When Bert points out a cardboard cut-out of Billy Collins, Martha then realises that Collins really is human. When Billy Collins leaves, Martha catches up to him, apologises, and explains that she thought he was a dog. He explains that he's just imaginative, and Martha explains that she has a friend who needs advice.
At the Kennelly house, T.D. complains to Billy, Helen, and Martha that he tried to write a hundred poems but none worked. Billy Collins tells him to have fun, but T.D. says he's not having any. When he says he wishes he were a dog so he wouldn't have to go to school, Billy suggests he write about being a dog. So, T.D. writes a poem about turning into a dog, being banned from school, being sucked into a wormhole and turned into a caveman alongside his friends, and jumping into a TV.
This gets him a D, but he enjoyed himself anyway. Then, Martha reveals that her dogs now think another poet is a dog, and when Billy comes home, it's revealed that, while he isn't a dog, his dog helps him write.
This episode provides examples of
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: In the sci-fi part of the poem, Martha wears boots.
- Animal Jingoism: In T.D.'s poem, he chases a cat when he's a dog.
- The Cuckoolander Was Right: Downplayed. Martha and T.D. were wrong about Billy being a dog, but it does turn out that his dog helps him to write poems.
- Death Glare: Martha scowls at Billy Collins upon finding out he's human since she thinks it's a man impersonating Billy Collins.
- Dogs Love Fire Hydrants: Downplayed when Martha, Bert, Francois, Skits, and one other dog are seen hanging around a fire hydrant, but all they do is sniff it.
- Here We Go Again!: At the end, Martha is revealed to think another poet is a dog.
- Insane Troll Logic:
- T.D. says that if it's unlikely for Earth to be the only populated planet, then it's also unlikely that Martha is the only dog who can speak, therefore Billy Collins is also a talking dog. Helen can only gawp at him when he says this.
- When the woman says that the poet is Billy Collins, Martha, rather than realise Billy Collins is a human, thinks the man is impersonating him.
- Mr. Imagination: Billy Collins says that he writes poetry by using his imagination.
- No Animals Allowed:
- Conversed when T.D. writes a poem about a beach that bars dogs.
- At one point, T.D. says that he wants to be a dog so he won't be able to go to school, then writes a poem about that.
- Out-of-Character Moment: The usually Literal-Minded Martha actually uses a metaphor at one point.
- Speak in Unison: When Martha suggests that Billy Collins isn't human, she and T.D. say, "He's a dog!" in unison.
- Uncatty Resemblance: The ending reveals that Billy's dog is a poet too.
- Would Rather Suffer: At one point, T.D. says he'd rather be sick than have to write a poem.
- Writer's Block: Throughout the episode, T.D. has great trouble composing a poem.
