Southern+Cop

__**Southern Cop**__
Chapter 7, page 676, poem 88 (Sterling A. Brown)

Lifespan: 1901-1989 Nationality: American Spouse: Daisy Turnbill (1927-1979)

As a black writer in a discriminatory era, Sterling often wrote about the struggles of the African-American experience within the USA. Sterling Allen Brown was born on May 1st into the Washington black middle class. He attended Dunbar High School and was the class valedictorian, allowing him to attend William College with a minority scholarship. He also went to school with the famous poet Jean Toomer. Brown received Phi Beta Kappa honors for his work in college and later pursued English at Harvard University. He directed much of his focus towards United States literature and studying the black culture. He often wrote about African-American communities in the south as opposed to the northern metropolitan areas. His essays while at Virginia Seminary and College reflected his respect for the black community, which he focused a majority of his work on their experiences and lifestyle.

-There is anger over the shooting committed by Kendricks, for it has resulted in the death of the black man and there was no justifiable reason for firing his weapon. -**"The place was Darktown."** -**"And here was a rookie with a chance to prove himself a man"** -**"The Negro must have been dangerous"** || Explanation/ Impact: -"Darktown" represents the black community, so ominously depicted and purposely made as to see how cops distinguish black-majority areas and the impression it creates on a frightened, confused society -Mockingly, Brown writes about how this cop was inexperienced, yet held a weapon and a badge which made him capable of deciding who could live and who could die. This questions the integrity of the role of an officer and his qualifications. -Brown uses the report the officer will most likely write up, about how the "Negro" looked to be posing a threat, and how this culture has evolved to be acceptable. || -Lines 3 and 5 rhyme for stanzas 1 and 2 -Lines 4 and 6 rhyme for stanzas 3 and 4 "The place was Darktown" "His big gun smoking, rabbit-scared alone..." "Wenches Wail" "Let us forgive/understand/condone/pity Ty Kendricks" || -The rhythmic tone of this poem creates an eerie tone given the dark tone of this poem and subject matter addressed -The location of the shooting, most likely an African-American neighborhood is called "Darktown" which almost makes this community of an area a larger than life meaning, even though its simply living space. -This line is meant to express irony, as this cop is purposely portrayed, as he might be in a hypothetical court case, as being "rabbit-scared alone", yet he was the one holding a large weapon which presented an immediate threat to the victim. -The alliteration of the "wenches wall" is spine-chilling as this describes the last few dying moments of the man in pain. Regardless of his choices in life, he is now dead. -This whole piece is about irony and praising a cop who killed a black man without thinking twice about taking the shot. || 5 line for Stanzas 1 and 2 6 lines for Stanzas 3 and 4 22 Lines || -This poem chronologically follows the shooting of the black man by the cop Ty Kendrick -Each stanza follows a different part of the experience: 1st-Ty Kendrick shoots the "Negro" in the alley. 2nd-Reasoning behind the shooting according to Ty Kendrick. 3rd-It is unfortunate that this happened but who can blame the officer? 4th-Brown mockingly says how the "rabbit-scared" officer can now hear the black man slowly dying. || "The Negro must have been dangerous" "When we found what the Negro was running for" "And the dying Negro moan" || -There is an obvious anger to the actions of Kendrick, for the shooting seems unnecessary and unable to be justified correctly. -This pity arises from the fact that now a man lies dead and it is implied that the crime he may have committed for his shooting was not severe and certainly not worth a bullet. -This man is now dead thanks to the actions of Ty Kendrick and all there is left is regret with this man now dying in a dark alley thanks to an uncertain cop ||
 * Theme || Example from Text:
 * Image || **Rhyme**
 * Personification**
 * Irony**
 * Alliteration**
 * Sarcasm**
 * Meter || Four Stanzas
 * Emotion || **Anger** "Let us forgive Ty Kendricks"
 * Pity**
 * Sadness**


 * Southern Cop **

Let us forgive Ty Kendricks.

The place was Darktown. He was young.

His nerves were jittery. The day was hot.

The Negro ran out of the alley.

And so Ty shot.

Let us understand Ty Kendricks.

The Negro must have been dangerous.

Because he ran;

And here was a rookie with a chance

To prove himself a man.

Let us condone Ty Kendricks

If we cannot decorate.

When he found what the Negro was running for,

It was too late;

And all we can say for the Negro is

It was unfortunate.

Let us pity Ty Kendricks.

He has been through enough,

Standing there, his big gun smoking,

Rabbit-scared, alone.

Having to hear the wenches wail

And the dying Negro moan

"Sterling A. Brown's Life and Career." //Sterling A. Brown's Life and Career//. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/brown/life.htm
 * __ Works Cited __**