This shows how technologically advanced the world is that there are now something 100 times bigger than an insect. And it also means that technology is damaging nature.
MacCaig carries the idea of nature being destroyed by comparing this to the destructive tools like the drill and it is damaging the clouds and the atmosphere.
“…the Empire State Building, that
jumbo sized dentist drill…”
MacCaigs words project a destructive image that is like the Empire State Building being a drill and destroying the atmosphere
Another poetic technique is transferred epithet and personification and these help MacCaig come to his universal Statement.
“…uncivilised darkness
is shot at by a million lit windows, all
ups and acrosses”
This highlights that darkness is uncivilised but darkness has no attributes so it can’t be uncivilised. This also represents that the lit windows are shooting at darkness but windows cannot shoot. This continues the destructive war tone throughout the poem.
MacCaig continues his destructive war tone by giving midnight characteristics.
“But midnight is not
so easily defeated…”
This is the meaning that midnight can be defeated easily but midnight is not a human so it cannot be defeated. MacCaig uses ‘But’ at the start of Stanza 2 to draw your attention to that sentence. The word ‘But’ shows the uselessness of the million lit windows.
Another way that MacCaig draws nearer to his universal statement is through onomatopoeia and alliteration.
“…the wildest of warwhoops continually ululating through
the glittering canyons and gulches…”
The alliteration helps MacCaig come to his universal statement. The warwhoops came back to war and it is when the Cowboys and Indians fought for the land. The onomatopoeia strengthens MacCaigs universal statement by the word imitating the action like ululating like it is echoing off the canyon walls. This also takes you back to when the cowboys are trying to take over from the native red Indians. Glittering canyons and gulches help MacCaig by personification. This is personification because canyons cannot be glittering but it is the tall skyscrapers with roads below that make the canyons and it is the lights from the skyscrapers that give the glittering effect. MacCaig continues his destructive war one by his specific word choice and this helps strength his universal statement. The specific word choice is ‘Broken bones ‘harsh screaming’ and ‘blood glazed’
I thought MacCaig’s poem Hotel room, 12th floor was good that it came from a chance observation that lead to his universal statement. I thought the poetic techniques he used were suitable and used correctly.
