poems

Question 1

basking shark

Answer 1

‘a sea tin-tacked with rain’
alliteration creates the sound of rain hitting the sea
‘room sized monster’ ‘matchbox brain’ contrasting long and short vowels emphasises the largeness of the shark and the smallness of his nrain
‘decadent’’
lost sense of purpose, deterioration of humanity
‘so who’s the monster?’
creates dramatic pause and concludes humans are the true monsters
‘For twenty seconds’
enjambement emphasises human flaws of only caring for short amount of time

Question 2

brooklyn cop

Answer 2

‘thick fleshed steak’
compares man to piece of meat, connotations of blood and violence, suggests humans being judged physically
‘tissue tear’
alliteration suggests quick acts of violence
‘two hieroglyphs’
metaphor suggesting his face is carved like stone and his eyes are scarred from the sights he has seen
‘victims?’
asks reader if they see him as the cause of violence or a victim of it
‘plunge’
suggests the violence occurring is abrupt and uncontrollable

Question 3

assisi

Answer 3

‘ruined temple’
the beggar was once holy and cared for, due to lack of cherishing now ruined
‘sat slumped like a half filled sack’
sibilance echos the hissing from society
‘Grazie’
beggar is still grateful and kind
‘clucking’ ‘fluttered’
compares tourists to chickens emphasising their dumb obedience
‘the goodness// of god’
separates god from goodness questioning the reliability of the church
‘voice as sweet as a child’s when she speaks to her mother’
presents the beggar as naive and innocent, eliciting sympathy from reader

Question 4

visiting hour

Answer 4

‘glass fang’

comparison