The Clown Punk – A Study

Poetic Devices Used in the Clown Punk

• Enjambment – When a sentence doesn't finish on the end of a line.

• Caesura – A pause mid-sentence.

• Simile – When something is like something.

• Metaphor – When something IS something else (described).

• Alliteration – When repeated consonants are used one word after another.

• Assonance – Sounds of a vowel are repeated one word after another.

Why are these effective?• Enjambment compels a

reader to read on to another verse rather than get bored and stop, it also adds flow to the poem and gives a sense of suspense and adds focus to the end of the verse.

• Caesura is also used effectively so it can give the reader time to think about what has been read and described.

Why are these effective? II• Similes are used to give

readers something to imagine and picture inside their head during the actual poem. ‘Like a basket if washing’ is a very effective simile

• Metaphors are used to give the reader a visual understanding of the poem. ‘Is shot through with indelible ink’ is an effective quote and it shows the reader that the Clown Punk is covered in tattoos

“Don’t laugh: every pixel of that man’s skin-”From this sentence it describes the

audience as judgemental and to empathise with the Clown Punk. The enjambment makes the sentences go straight to the audience and gives the message a bigger impact.

Why are these effective? III

Key Images in the Poem

The Shonky Side of Town

Every Pixel of that man’s skin is shot through with indelible ink

And let it rain.

Think what he’ll look like in thirty years’ time

References to ColourIn the poem, the references to colour isn’t explicitly presented

and colours are not used to further describe the objects. This allows the reader to use their imagination and visually conjure up the poem in their point of view. The author may have used minimal reference to colour to allow the poem to be viewed in different aspects and making the poem a bit personal for the reader.

For example, ‘Like a basket of washing up that got up’ you automatically imagine a wheat coloured basket with the colours of the spectrum whirled in it which is used to describe his once one-toned skin covered in a slick of rainbow.

‘Still daubed with the sad tattoos of high punk’ The use of the adjective ‘sad’ tells the reader that it isn’t suitable for his age and that he is being slathered in it making it sound as if he is trapped in an uncomfortable nature. The line presents the clown punk in a time past his punk era suggesting that the tattoos may be fading too. It discreetly gives a suggestion of the colour of faded blue and hues of his tattoos.

The language and anticipated response used.

• ‘But don’t laugh’- this is used effectively because the poet takes this as a serious matter and it suggests that the poet feels scared by this clown. The poet thinks that the reader will laugh at the poem and won’t take it seriously therefore he says ‘But don’t laugh.’

• ‘Who wince and scream’- also this is used in an effective way because it suggests that the clown is scary and that the reader is going to be scared by this clown, so the poet is giving you a warning that the clown is horrifying.

• ‘Think what he will look like in 30 years time’- this is used effectively because the poet wants to make you think about the clown and this makes you think that the poet wants you to feel sorry for the clown, as it suggests that that he feels sorry for the clown.

• ‘Remember the clown punk’- the poet wants you to remember the clown, weather you feel sorry for him or if he scares you. Remember the image that he painted in your head while you were reading the poem.