Brooklyn Cop

1. Brooklyn Cop Norman MacCaig

2. Free verse – no rhyme. No regular sentence/stanza length. The stanzas get shorter as the poem goes on. Leading to a climax.

3. Stanza 1. • Simile of gorilla – brutal, animal, large. Creates stereotypical image of an American policeman. • Metaphor of hieroglyphics – could be his eyes. His face is hard to read. He is looking for trouble. • “thin tissue over violence” – metaphor showing thin line between calm and chaos. • Cliché – “See you”, “Hiya, honey”. Contrast because he they are not clichéd to him. • Repetition – “hoped it”. “truly” emphasises just how much. • Contrast between the violence of his work and his domestic life.

4. Stanza 2. • Structure – all one long sentence. It is a question but does not use question marks. • Repetition of “should” and “what”. • “clubbings” and “gunshots” show brutality just under surface. Using plural suggests chaos and that it doesn’t matter who gets caught up in the violence. • Alliteration of “tissue tear”. • Word choice of plunge – sudden action as he crosses the line. • “Whamburger” – again suggests violence. The two local places between” them suggests fighting against each other – may be links with gangs/mafia?

5. Stanza 3. • Structure – question. Poet is asking who would be willing to take on this job. • “gorilla with a nightstick” – has a club instead of a gun. Suggests his violence and his taking part in the “clubbings”.

6. Stanza 4. • Structure – question. • Strange sentence structure – as if it has been shortened. • “have to be” – the people have no choice. Caught up in the violence. • “victims” – again suggests innocence.