Final answer:
Billy Collins does not directly discuss Lawrence Ferlinghetti in the provided texts; however, his role as a central figure in nurturing the countercultural voices of poets like Allen Ginsberg, through his City Lights Bookshop, is implicitly acknowledged in the context of the evolution of the voice and tone in Modern poetry.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the question of what Billy Collins says about the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, it is essential to look at the context of the Beat Generation and the contribution of Ferlinghetti to American poetry. Collins, as the judge for the 2006 Best American Poetry anthology, discusses the role of tone in poetry, citing the shift to free verse with Modern poetry.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a central figure in that movement, fostered a welcoming environment for poets, such as Allen Ginsberg, through his City Lights Bookshop. The shop published Ginsberg's influential collection, Howl and Other Poems, which was seized for obscenity but later celebrated as a defining work of the Beat Generation and counterculture.
In this literary milieu, Ferlinghetti stands as an important cultural figure who not only supported but actively engaged with poets like Ginsberg. His contributions played a crucial role in altering the landscape of American poetry and helping to establish a voice for the counterculture.
Collins does not directly speak on Ferlinghetti in the provided texts, yet the information suggests that he acknowledges the significant role places like Ferlinghetti's bookstore played in the evolution of Modern poetry's voice and tone, as fostered by the Beat poets.