The Poetry of Angel
Island
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2 Objectives
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Examine and analyze the point of view of a culture
recently entering the United States
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Produce a poem that shows understanding of the
jeuju style used by most Angel Island detainees
What do you know about poetry? List as
many things as you can in two minutes.
After looking at the images and considering the
name, who do you think were the poets on
Angel Island? What did they write about?
(Imagine and/or guess)
What led up to it?
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The California Gold Rush brought many
Chinese immigrants.
Chinese immigrants were recruited to build
the Transcontinental Railroad.
Other immigrant groups felt the Chinese
were taking their jobs.
What were some results?
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Chinese immigrants were forced to
leave the United States.
Chinese Americans were required to
carry papers proving their citizenship.
The Rock Springs Massacre, one of
many such events, occurred in 1885.
Circle the topics you feel you know the most about
and add any other facts that you recall.
Discovering Angel Island: The Story Behind the Poems
Discovering Angel Island: The Story Behind the Poems
What do you remember? What stood out?
DETENTION BARRACKS INSCRIPTIONS
220 Chinese poems
96 Chinese inscriptions
89 English inscriptions
62 Japanese inscriptions
33 Chinese graphic images
7 Russian inscriptions
4 South Asian inscriptions
4 European inscriptions
2 Korean inscriptions
Jeuju
One Traditional Style of Chinese Poetry
Jeuju
One Traditional Style of Chinese Poetry
Angel Island Poetry - Example 1
Detained in this wooden house for several tens of days,
It is all because of the Mexican exclusion law which implicates me.
It’s a pity heroes have no way of exercising their prowess.
I can only await the word so that I can snap Zu’s whip.
From now on, I am departing far from this building
All of my fellow villagers are rejoicing with me.
Don’t say that everything within is Western styled.
Even if it is built of jade, it has turned into a cage.
Poem 135
1.
2.
3.
4.
Detained in this wooden house for several tens of days,
It is all because of the Mexican exclusion law which implicates me.
It’s a pity heroes have no way of exercising their prowess.
I can only await the word so that I can snap Zu’s whip.
From now on, I am departing far from this building
All of my fellow villagers are rejoicing with me.
Don’t say that everything within is Western styled.
Even if it is built of jade, it has turned into a cage.
Poem 135
How does the speaker feel?
Do you think he would stay in America if he had the choice?
Who is the hero he is talking about?
Is he really leaving/departing?
What questions should a teacher ask about this poem?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Detained in this wooden house for several tens of days,
It is all because of the Mexican exclusion law which implicates me.
It’s a pity heroes have no way of exercising their prowess.
I can only await the word so that I can snap Zu’s whip.
From now on, I am departing far from this building
All of my fellow villagers are rejoicing with me.
Don’t say that everything within is Western styled.
Even if it is built of jade, it has turned into a cage.
Poem 135
Poem by One Named Huie from Heungshan Encouraging the Traveler
Just talk about going to the land of the Flowery Flag and my countenance fills with happiness.
Not without hard work were one thousand pieces of gold dug up and gathered together.
There were words of farewell to the parents, but the throat choked up first.
There were many feelings, many tears flowing face to face, when parting with the wife.
Waves big as mountains often astonished this traveler.
With laws harsh as tigers,* I had a taste of all the barbarities.
Do not forget this day when you land ashore.
Push yourself ahead and do not be lazy or idle.
Poem by One Named Huie from Heungshan Encouraging the Traveler
香山許生勉客題
說去花旗喜溢顏，
千金羅掘不辭艱。
親離有話喉先哽，
妻別多情淚對潸。
浪大如山頻駭客，
政苛似虎倍嘗蠻。
毋忘此日君登岸，
發奮前程莫懶閒
Poem 10
Poem by One Named Huie from Heungshan Encouraging the Traveler
Just talk about going to the land of the Flowery Flag and my countenance fills with happiness.
Not without hard work were one thousand pieces of gold dug up and gathered together.
There were words of farewell to the parents, but the throat choked up first.
There were many feelings, many tears flowing face to face, when parting with the wife.
Waves big as mountains often astonished this traveler.
With laws harsh as tigers, I had a taste of all the barbarities.
Do not forget this day when you land ashore.
Push yourself ahead and do not be lazy or idle.
Drag the number to the beginning of the section.
Untitled
America has power, but not justice.
In prison, we were victimized as if we were guilty.
Given no opportunity to explain, it was really brutal.
I bow my head in reflection but there is nothing I can do.
Drag the number to the beginning of the section.
Random Thoughts Deep at Night
In the quiet of night, I heard, faintly, the whistling of wind.
The forms and shadows saddened me; upon seeing the landscape, I
composed a poem.
The floating clouds, the fog, darken the sky.
The moon shines faintly as the insects chirp.
Grief and bitterness entwined are heaven sent.
The sad person sits alone, leaning by a window.
Written by Yee of Toishan
Drag the number to the beginning of the section.
Untitled
Originally, I had intended to come to America last year.
Lack of money delayed me until early autumn.
It was on the day that the Weaver Maiden met the Cowherd*
That I took passage on the President Lincoln.
I ate wind and tasted waves for more than twenty days.
Fortunately, I arrived safely on the American continent.
I thought I could land in a few days.
How was I to know I would become a prisoner suffering in the wooden building?
The barbarians' abuse is really difficult to take.
When my family's circumstances stir my emotions, a double stream of tears flows.
I only wish I can land in San Francisco soon,
Thus sparing me this additional sorrow here.
*An annual Chinese festival
Drag the number to the beginning of the section.
Write an original poem following the
Chinese poetry pattern known as
Jeuju.
Your poem must be at least 4
sentences long:
1. Introduction
Jeuju
One Traditional Style of Chinese Poetry
2. Development
3. Turnaround
4. Conclusion
It does not have to rhyme.
Write your own poem. Submit your
assignment in Schoology.
Be prepared to share your poem on
Friday.
Materials> Rules of the Game>FINAL
ACTIVITY
If you would like to record your
poem in advance, you can use the
following Flipgrid link.
Jeuju
One Traditional Style of Chinese Poetry
Write your own poem. Submit your
assignment in Schoology.
Materials> Rules of the Game>FINAL
ACTIVITY
Or Do a Flipgrid
https://flipgrid.com/00c5974a