Answer:
The poem's allusion to the 1982 Brixton riot:
C. illustrates the strong feelings associated with the poem's subject matter.
Explanation:
This excerpt was taken from part XXIII of Derek Walcott's "Midsummer". Born in 1930 in Saint Lucia, Walcott received several awards for his works, including the Nobel Prize. He passed away in 2017.
The simile we are analyzing here compares the summer leaves to the Brixton riot. This may seem to be quite an unlikely comparison, which is probably what the author was aiming for. It is quite powerful to compare a season to a riot and its violence. As a matter of fact, as the poem goes on, the author continues to do so. He compares, for instance, leaves and branches to cattle being whipped. All of that unusual comparison aims to illustrate the author's feelings toward his subject matter, which is clearly quite strong.
Plump or Cheerful
Hope this helps!
-Lion
I believe it is number 3.
