Marcus and his father are arguing about whether the cops are doing a good job or not. Marcus believes that the cops haven't caught any terrorists, and they are just making people scared. Marcus's dad on the other hand, he strongly believes that the cops are doing amazing work. Marcus's dad even said he would gladly be pulled over if it was to make him feel safer. Marcus and his dad have opposite outlooks, and this is the big conflict.
It slows the pace of the poem down to purposefully confuse the reader. It builds up anticipation about what will happen when the highwayman arrives. It helps to establish the setting of the town and the countryside.
Explanation: A hyperbole is where you exaggerate in a sentence. " I waited a million years for my ride to get to the house" is an exaggeration because it is not possible to wait for a million years to get home.
