Chinese Poetry of the Detention Barracks

The most visible and durable testimony of those detained at Angel Island are the
notable poems, some written, some carved with a classical Cantonese technique into
the wooden walls of the barracks. This was not mere graffiti. Couched in classical
allegories and historical references, these poems poured forth the aspirations of
the immigrants with their anger and sadness at the injustice of their initial
reception by America.

THE POETS

From 1910 to 1940 most of Angel Island’s Chinese detainees were young men between
14 and 18 years of age. Some had an elementary school education in the form of
private tutoring, but they were rarely educated at the high school level. Detainees
knew some classical Chinese and the ABC’s of Chinese calligraphy. However, some
fairly high quality poems indicated that there were a few older and well-educated
persons amidst the detainee population. The overwhelming majority of the authors of
the poems did not sign their names to their poems. Only a dozen or so signed their
real names. A few others included their surnames, birthplaces, and the dates of
their writing.

POETRY THEMES

Traditionally, Chinese scholars emphasize that poetry reveals one’s heart,

aspirations and feelings. One can imagine that a group of young men with some
education came across the Pacific Ocean with very high expectations of a new life
in the New World. They had no idea that they would be detained on Angel Island.
Given this situation, the prevailing sentiments were disappointment, anger,
depression and homesickness beyond some imaginary lines, a complex only found in
youth. Some themes have been found in the poetry at the Immigration Station. Theses
themes include: missing home village; unfulfilled aspirations; concerning the
nation and people; hopelessness and pain; hatred; life in detention; and ancient
stories, legends and historical figures.

POETRY FORMS

The poems on Angel Island mainly are of the classic Chinese poetry, notably the
Tang Poetry. Some of the poems actually observe the strict rhyming patterns,
couplet requirements and the regulation of tunes. But this is not universal to all
poems.