Brooklyn Cop by Norman MacCaig - Annotated Notes of Poem for Nat 5 & Higher English Students

Norman MacCaig is one of the poets on both the National 5 and Higher English set texts lists and is also one of the more popular poets covered by students at this level. For that reason, I thought it might be useful to include some annotations and notes that could be useful for some of his poems – in this case, ‘Brooklyn Cop’.

Where could you use this poem in the exam?

Section 1 of the Critical Reading paper for both National 5 and Higher English is where you would be most likely to use this poem. Even if the poem does not come up as the exam extract, it can be used for your comparison poem as part of the 8-mark question in Nat 5 English or the 10-mark question at Higher level. Potentially, you could also use this poem for Section 2 if you did not pick poetry for Section 1, i.e. for your critical essay.

Annotated Poem:

Key quotes and (some) analysis of language from Brooklyn Cop

"Built like a gorilla but less timid,"

Simile: Comparing the cop to a "gorilla" emphasizes his brutish, imposing physicality and potential for violence.

=> Just as a gorilla is brutish and imposing physically, so too is the cop as he works on the streets of New York.

Word Choice - "less timid": Suggests the cop is even more aggressive than a wild animal, highlighting his toughness and readiness for confrontation.

"thick-fleshed, steak-coloured, with two hieroglyphs in his face that mean trouble"

Imagery: "thick-fleshed, steak-coloured" evokes an image of toughness and strength, with "steak-coloured" hinting at violence and blood.

Metaphor - "hieroglyphs": Suggests unreadable, harsh facial expressions, indicating danger or authority.

=> Just as hieroglyphs are incomprehensible symbols carved into hard stone, so too are the cop’s facial expressions impossible to decipher and expressed on a hardened face.

Themes: Violence and brutality are central to his identity.

"he walks the sidewalk and the thin tissue over violence."

Metaphor: The "thin tissue" represents the fragile boundary between order and chaos. Violence is always close at hand.

=> Just as a thin tissue is fragile and could break at any moment, so too is the boundary between order and chaos in the streets of New York where the cop works.

Tone: Menacing and tense.

"This morning when he said, ‘See you, babe’ to his wife, he hoped it, he truly hoped it."

Colloquialism: "See you, babe" highlights his ordinary domestic life, creating a contrast with his dangerous job.

Repetition of "hoped it": Emphasizes his vulnerability and awareness of his own mortality.

Theme: The conflict between personal life and professional duty.

"He is a gorilla"

Repetition of the gorilla metaphor, reinforcing his animalistic nature and dangerous presence.

"to whom ‘Hiya, honey’ is no cliché"

Juxtaposition: Shows the cop’s tenderness at home, contrasting with his brutal work environment.

Theme: Duality of human nature – aggression vs. kindness.

"Should the tissue tear, should he plunge through into violence, what clubbings, what gunshots between Phoebe’s Whamburger and Louie’s Place."

Alliteration - "tissue tear": Sharp sound mimics violence breaking out suddenly.

Imagery - "clubbings, gunshots": Vivid description of violence; suggests it’s commonplace and brutal.

Setting: Specific locations imply a tough, crime-ridden neighborhood.

"Who would be him, gorilla with a nightstick, whose home is a place he might, this time, never get back to?"

Rhetorical Question: Challenges the reader to consider the danger and emotional cost of the cop’s job.

Metaphor - "gorilla with a nightstick": Again reinforces his brute strength and weapon-wielding authority.

Theme: Isolation, fear, and the human cost of violence.

"And who would be who have to be his victims?"

Ambiguity: Suggests that violence harms both the cop and those he confronts.

Tone: Dark, pessimistic, and critical of violence as a solution.

Some Key Themes Throughout the Poem:

• Violence and Brutality: The cop is constantly surrounded by violence and is almost part of it.

• Duality of Human Nature: The tension between the cop’s brutality at work and tenderness at home.

• Isolation and Vulnerability: Despite his toughness, he is vulnerable and fears for his life.

  
  

Key Techniques

• Imagery, Metaphor, Simile, Juxtaposition, Alliteration, Colloquialism.

• Tone and Mood: Tense, dark, critical.

  
  

Some useful quotes to remember for analysis in exam

1. "Built like a gorilla but less timid."

2. "The thin tissue over violence."

3. "He hoped it, he truly hoped it."

4. "Who would be him, gorilla with a nightstick."

5. "And who would be who have to be his victims?"