I Recently I read a poem called 'GLASGOW 5TH OF MARCH 1971' by Edwin Morgan. This poem paints a vivid picture of a crime which takes place in the busy Sauchiehall street, Glasgow, late one evening. The language the poet uses helps us paint a mental image of what happened that evening, and by using alliteration, metaphors and enjambment he helps us to understand the poem clearly. In my essay I will tell you about the poem, consider the techniques he used and examine how the poem makes me feel.
The poem is about a young man and woman who are looking in a jewellars shop window one evening in Sauchiehall street, when suddenly they are pushed through the window of the shop by 'two youths'. The man sustains small cuts all over his face and fragments of glass are imbedded into his skin giving the appearance of a glass beard 'bristling with fragments of glass' however the woman is very badly injured 'spurts arterial blood'. The youths begin to steal from the shop 'smartly' looting anthing they can showing no remorse for their actions. As the incident takes place no one goes to their aid.
The poem is an instamatic poem, and gives us a picture of events as they happen rather like a newspaper. This gives a good effect as the poet makes you think that he was there and witnessing the crime. He uses present tense, which also helps to create this effect. Enjambment is used in the poem this is found at the end of a line by using no punctuation mark for one or two lines, this is used to draw attention to a word at the end of the line.
The poet uses good word choice and metaphors to create a vivid picture of what happened that evening. To give us a mental image of what happened ' '. The poet also uses the words two youths to make us think the criminals are bad teenagers, who are always doing wrong.The poet tells us that passers by did not want to get involved and pretended not to notice anything 'In the background two drivers keep their eyes on the road'.