Liam, Chris and Jack

Starter In pairs discuss what is odd about this picture? What is missing?

Brendon Gallacher He was seven and I was six, my Brendon Gallacher. He was Irish and I was Scottish, my Brendon Gallacher. His father was in prison; he was a cat burglar. My father was a Communist Party full-time worker. He had six brothers and I had one, my Brendon Gallacher. He would hold my hand and take me by the river where we’d talk all about his family being poor. He’d get his mum out of Glasgow when he got older. A wee holiday some place nice. Some place far. I’d tell my mum about my Brendon Gallacher. How his mum drank and his daddy was a cat burglar. And she’d say, ‘Why not have him round to dinner? ’No, no, I’d say, he’s got big holes in his trousers. I like meeting him by the burn in the open air. Then one day after we’d been friends for two years, one day when it was pouring and I was indoors, my mum says to me, ‘I was talking to Mrs Moir who lives next door to your Brendon Gallacher. Didn’t you say his address was 24 Novar? She says there are no Gallachers at 24 Novar. There never have been any Gallachers next door. ’And he died then, my Brendon Gallacher, flat out on my bedroom floor, his spiky hair, his impish grin, his funny, flapping ear. Oh Brendon. Oh my Brendon Gallacher. -Jackie Kay

He was seven and I was six, my Brendon Gallacher. He was Irish and I was Scottish, my Brendon Gallacher. His father was in prison; he was a cat burglar. My father was communist party full-time worker. He had six brothers and I had one, my Brendon Gallacher Contrast ‘he’ and ‘I’ Contrasting lives Repetition, like a song refrain Possessive pronouns -> he is only hers His life is all a fantasy yet she gives very specific details about it to make him seem real Childish term

He would hold my hand and take me by the river where we'd talk all about his family being poor. He'd get his mum out of Glasgow when he got older. A wee holiday some place nice. Some place far. I'd tell my mum about my Brendon Galacher. Innocent relationship He appears to be in charge Jackie Kay got HER family out of Glasgow Colloquial, Scottish To shock her mother? For attention? Nice, thoughtful character

How his mum drank and his daddy was a cat burglar. And she'd say, 'why not have him round to dinner?‘ No, no, I'd say he's got big holes in his trousers. I like meeting him by the burn in the open air. Then one day after we'd been friends for two years Making his family sound more exciting Childish Romantic life of a drinker Direct Conversation Humorous, small problem compared to life of parents Indicates change in mood Colloquial

One day when it was pouring and I was indoors, my mum says to me, 'I was talking to Mrs Moir who lives next door to your Brendon Gallacher Didn't you say his address was 24 Novar? She says there are no Gallachers at 24 Novar Repetition from last line of previous stanza -> tension Pathetic Fallacy Trapped Present tense, reliving the event Only exists for her Question, chance to admit the truth

There never have been any Gallachers next door.' And he died then, my Brendon Gallacher, flat out on my bedroom floor, his spiky hair, his impish grin, his funny flapping ear. Oh Brendon. Oh my Brendon Gallacher Direct dialogue -> to shock the reader Can’t exit as mother has proved that he doesn’t To her he IS dead Fond memories Mourning and loss, emphasised by ‘Oh’ Only her imagination

Jackie Kay Jackie Kay was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1961 to a Scottish mother and a Nigerian father. She was adopted by a white couple at birth and was brought up in Glasgow. Her poems reflect her own life (autobiographical) She left Scotland partly because of her feeling that she wanted a more accepting environment for her son, Matthew, who was born in 1988.

Synopsis Brendon Gallacher is a poem about belief in imaginary friends, who are fictional beings conjured from the mind often to provide companionship to a lonely individual. The poem advances through the stages of a child’s belief of her friend, and although she begins having full faith in his existence, she is later forced to give up on her belief as the reality of the situation collapses upon her, and she realises that she must give up her childish belief of an imaginary friend. This is also evidently progressing through her mind as she refuses to have Brendon over for dinner, knowing that she cannot prove his existence.

Structure of the poem The poem's structure is quite simple; 5 stanzas, all 5 lines which are roughly the same length, except the last two stanzas which are shorter. The stanzas slowly diminishing could reflect the exposure and ‘death’ of Brendon Gallacher.

Character and Voice In the poem the young girl and her mother are the only ones who talk. Brendon has a described character, but no voice. The fact that we don't get a voice from Brendon almost foreshadows his non-existence, and near the end of the poem, reinforces the idea that Brendon Gallacher is an imaginary friend.

Poetic Devices Used  ALLITERATION -The poem is alliterative through it’s use of phrases like “by the burn”, giving it a spoken-style rhythm.  CAESURA -The poem used caesuras to separate the repeated phrase “my Brendon Gallacher” as well as to display contrast between the two characters.  RHYME -Rhyming is attempted through assonant phrases at the end of the matched lines in each stanza as “1 & 2” and “3 & 4”.  ENJAMBMENT -Enjambment at the beginning of the second stanza simulates the flowing of the river through the flow of the river.