Poets use literary devices to give life to there poems. and to give diversity to there writing."im 

stylin...smilin...looking real mean/it aint bout bein heard just bein scene" (gaines).This quotation shows that

 Reg e. gaines wanted to give off a sense of selfishness and greed.But also that culture and using rhyme and 

ryhnem t show case that.The literally devices that the poet uses is rhyme,rhythm,onomatopoeia,simile 

,metaphor,hyperbole to retell the theme.Which is greed and selfishness.

When the poet uses hyperbole.To show the aggregation the main character uses to justifies the crimes he had 

committed."but i really must get some new gear soon/or my ego will pop like a ten cent balloon".This 

example shows how he justifies his crimes.In the real world, many times people blame external factors that 

cause violence and crime.

The author uses onomatopoeia, to give a sense of realism to the poem."I fired (pow) he fell between two 

parked cars".This gives the poem a imagery as well.When using Pow,this is using the sense of hearing.Many 

times poets use onomatopoeia to tell the story of there poem.For example when the poet said the word pow

. It symbolized the sound of the gun.

As you can see. The literary  devices  that reg e. gaines uses help retell his poetry and give of the theme of the poem