Corner is a poem about power, control and youth alienation. These are three of the main issues or themes addressed in this poem. The poem starts with a youth being accused through body language by a policeman, of loitering. It immediately addresses the theme of power vs. powerlessness using a battle, not physical but a mental battle or battle of ‘wills’. The poem uses similes, metaphors and emotive language to help encourage a sense of struggle. Throughout the poem the youth’s power grows, even though at first he wants to run. He stands his ground and eventually the cop leaves, ‘still smug in his power’ however the youth still manages to hold his power, “I am becoming sunlight.

My hair is on fire. My boots run like tar. I am hung-up by the bright air.” But he says “I cannot back down. I am there.”

The poem uses emotive language, metaphors and similes not only to develop the theme but also to create tension, “it is like a bullring… before the fighting”. This quote is an excellent example of tension building as it helps the reader see that there is a conflict arising. Sarcasm is also used to create tension between the characters, “Prince of coolness, King of fear”. This quote is used to empower the youth and also is the point where the youth seems to ‘find his feet’ and really push out that last stance of courage, and strength which ultimately ends in the officer leaving. The simile of the ‘leather stork’ creates an image of a policeman relaxed and protected by leather adding to the image of him being comfortable in his power. His “fingers are armoured by his gloves” gives the reader a sense that the policeman does have a higher authority, as armoured is a military term.

These techniques are also used to establish the setting very effectively throughout the poem, it is a street corner but the youth is also cornered, in this way the setting becomes a larger metaphor for the ‘showdown’. It is a hot day; his jeans bake and his T shirt sweats, his hair is on fire and his boots run like tar.

Ralph Pomeroy has used first person point of view to position the reader so that you see the event or situation from the youth’s perspective. You also get a view of the policeman from the point of view of the youth, this leads us to see the policeman as an evil figure, and sympathy is felt toward the youth.

The main purpose of the poet using first person point of view from the youth’s perspective is that many people can relate to the youth’s position, the underdog. We have all been in the position of having a higher authority glancing accusingly at you or looking down their nose at you because you have less power. This may be in the role of police officer/youth, teacher/student or parent/child or a multitude of others. Through point of view in this poem the voice of the underdog is heard. The poem would have a totally different theme if written from the police officer’s point of view.

The poem Corner is extremely successful at communicating a sense of power, control and alienation. The policeman holds the power; the youth challenges it and in some ways wins. The two characters are mentally battling for control, and although the youth does feel alienated he stands up for himself and holds his pride. The poetic techniques used such as similes, metaphors and emotive language help the reader to feel the tension between the characters and to really feel the environment in which the encounter takes place. These different characters can be related to different people in today’s society who gain power through control and alienation an experience most of us have felt at some point in our lives.

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