Look We Have Coming to Dover! by Daljit Nagra

Analysis of the Title

The title "Look We Have Coming to Dover!" immediately grabs attention with its playful and ungrammatical structure. It suggests the perspective of an immigrant, indicating the theme of migration and the arrival to a new land, specifically Dover in the UK, which is historically significant as a point of entry. The title also hints at the challenges and aspirations associated with immigration.

Structure and Form

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• The poem is written in free verse, consisting of five stanzas of varying lengths.
• There is no consistent rhyme scheme or meter, reflecting the unpredictability and chaos of the immigrant experience.
• The use of enjambment and varied line lengths creates a sense of movement and urgency, mirroring the immigrants' journey and struggles.

Speaker

• The speaker appears to be an immigrant reflecting on the experience of arriving in the UK and the subsequent life there.
• The tone is a mix of hope, irony, and resilience, capturing the complexity of the immigrant experience.

Setting

• The setting shifts between the immigrants' arrival by sea to their life in the UK.
• The initial imagery focuses on the harsh journey across the sea, while later descriptions move to urban and rural landscapes in the UK, symbolizing their attempts to integrate and thrive.

Poetic Devices

Imagery

• The poem is rich in vivid imagery, such as "the lash alfresco of a diesel-breeze" and "vexin their blarnies upon our huddled camouflage", which paint a detailed picture of the immigrants' journey and experiences.
• The juxtaposition of natural and industrial elements highlights the contrast between the immigrants' hopes and the reality of their environment.

Metaphor

• Metaphors such as "passport us to life" and "the chalk of Britannia" convey deeper meanings about identity, acceptance, and belonging.
• The use of the sea and weather as metaphors reflects the challenges and adversities faced by the immigrants.

Allusion

• The poem alludes to Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" with its opening epigraph, creating a dialogue with the themes of isolation, change, and hope.
• The reference to Tony Blair ("Blair'd in the cash") situates the poem in a specific political context, highlighting issues of immigration policy and economic opportunity.

Sound Devices

• Consonance and assonance are used to create musicality and rhythm, such as in "gobfuls of surf phlegmed by cushy come-and-go", enhancing the poem's auditory appeal.
• The repetition of sounds and words underscores the persistent and ongoing nature of the immigrant experience.

Key Themes

Immigration and Identity

• The poem explores the complexities of immigration, including the hardships faced during the journey and the struggle for acceptance and identity in a new land.
• This theme is illustrated in lines like:

"Stowed in the sea to invade" and "teemed for breathing sweeps of grass through the whistling asthma of parks."

Resilience and Hope

• Despite the challenges, the poem conveys a sense of resilience and hope, as seen in

"Only then can it be human to hoick ourselves, bare-faced for the clear."

• The immigrants' perseverance is depicted through their continuous efforts to build a better life.

Integration and Belonging

• The poem addresses the tension between maintaining one's cultural identity and integrating into a new society, evident in

"babbling our lingoes, flecked by the chalk of Britannia!"

• The immigrants' desire for acceptance and their contributions to society are central to this theme.

Line by Line Analysis

Lines 1-3

Stowed in the sea to invade

the lash alfresco of a diesel-breeze

ratcheting speed into the tide, brunt with

"Stowed in the sea to invade"

• The phrase "stowed in the sea" suggests the immigrants are hidden away like cargo, evoking a sense of dehumanization.
• "To invade" uses the language of hostility often applied to immigrants, highlighting the poem's exploration of how newcomers are perceived.

"the lash alfresco of a diesel-breeze"

• "Lash alfresco" combines a sense of harshness ("lash") with the outdoors ("alfresco"), contrasting the immigrants' rough journey with the leisurely connotations of the term.
• "Diesel-breeze" signifies the polluted air from the boat's engine, emphasizing the grim conditions of their voyage.

"ratcheting speed into the tide,"

• The phrase "ratcheting speed" conveys a mechanical and relentless motion, illustrating the immigrants' urgent journey across the sea.
• The enjambment here adds to the feeling of continuous movement and the struggle against the elements.

"with brunt"

• The abruptness of "with brunt" highlights the force and impact of the waves against the immigrants' boat.

Lines 4-5

gobfuls of surf phlegmed by cushy come-and-go

tourists prow'd on the cruisers, lording the ministered waves.

"gobfuls of surf phlegmed by cushy come-and-go"

• The metaphor "gobfuls of surf" depicts the waves as spitting at the immigrants, creating an image of hostility.
• The term "cushy come-and-go" contrasts the immigrants' perilous journey with the ease and privilege of tourists.

"tourists prow'd on the cruisers, lording the ministered waves."

• The tourists are described as "lording" over the waves, suggesting a sense of superiority and control.
• "Ministered waves" implies that the sea obeys the tourists, contrasting sharply with the immigrants' struggle.

Lines 6-10

Seagull and shoal life

Vexin their blarnies upon our huddled

camouflage past the vast crumble of scummed

cliffs, scramming on mulch as thunder unbladders

yobbish rain and wind on our escape, hutched in a Bedford van.

"Seagull and shoal life"

• The wildlife is depicted as part of the hostile environment the immigrants face, anthropomorphizing nature's indifference.

"Vexin their blarnies upon our huddled"

• The phrase "vexin their blarnies" uses informal, playful language to depict the seagulls' annoying cries.
• "Huddled" underscores the immigrants' vulnerability and need for protection.

"camouflage past the vast crumble of scummed"

• "Camouflage" suggests the immigrants' need to hide and blend in to avoid detection.
• The phrase "vast crumble of scummed cliffs" vividly describes the deteriorating, unwelcoming Dover cliffs.

"cliffs, scramming on mulch as thunder unbladders"

• The harsh, chaotic verbs "scramming" and "unbladders" convey the urgency and disorder of their landing.

"yobbish rain and wind on our escape, hutched in a Bedford van."

• "Yobbish rain" personifies the weather as rude and aggressive, further emphasizing the hostility faced by the immigrants.
• "Hutched in a Bedford van" evokes the cramped, animal-like conditions in which they must travel to safety.

Lines 11-15

Seasons or years we reap

inland, unclocked by the national eye

or stab in the back, teemed for breathing

sweeps of grass through the whistling asthma of parks,

burdened, ennobled, poling sparks across pylon and pylon.

"Seasons or years we reap"

• The immigrants' hard labor is continuous and unending, marked by the passage of time.

"inland, unclocked by the national eye"

• They work unnoticed, avoiding the scrutiny of authorities.

"or stab in the back, teemed for breathing"

• The constant threat of betrayal and the struggle for survival are highlighted.

"sweeps of grass through the whistling asthma of parks,"

• "Whistling asthma" metaphorically describes their difficult living conditions and the literal breathlessness of their hidden lives.

"burdened, ennobled, poling sparks across pylon and pylon."

• Their labor, though burdensome, is also dignified, and their contributions are likened to the essential flow of electricity.

Lines 16-20

Swarms of us, grafting in

the black within shot of the moon's

spotlight, banking on the miracle of sun –

span its rainbow, passport us to life. Only then

can it be human to hoick ourselves, bare-faced for the clear.

"Swarms of us, grafting in"

• The immigrants are depicted as a large, industrious group, working hard.

"the black within shot of the moon's"

• They labour in secrecy, hidden from view.

"spotlight, banking on the miracle of sun –"

• The "spotlight" of the moon represents the ever-present danger of being exposed.
• They hope for the "miracle of sun", symbolizing a brighter, more secure future.

"span its rainbow, passport us to life. Only then"

• The rainbow symbolizes hope and the possibility of legal acceptance.
• "Passport us to life" highlights the desire for official recognition and the rights it brings.

"can it be human to hoick ourselves, bare-faced for the clear."

• Only with acceptance can they live openly and freely, without fear.

Lines 21-23

Imagine my love and I,

our sundry others, Blair'd in the cash

of our beeswax'd cars, our crash clothes, free,

"Imagine my love and I,"

• The speaker envisions a hopeful future for himself and his loved ones.

"our sundry others, Blair'd in the cash"

• They dream of economic prosperity and social acceptance.
• The reference to "Blair'd in the cash" alludes to the economic policies under Tony Blair, suggesting a better life.

"of our beeswax'd cars, our crash clothes, free,"

• They aspire to material wealth and freedom, symbolized by luxury cars and fashionable clothes.

Lines 24-25

we raise our charged glasses over unparasol'd tables

East, babbling our lingoes, flecked by the chalk of Britannia!

"we raise our charged glasses over unparasol'd tables"

• The image of raising glasses in a toast signifies celebration and success.
• "Unparasol'd tables" suggests openness and the removal of barriers.

"East, babbling our lingoes, flecked by the chalk of Britannia!"

• They celebrate their heritage and integration, speaking their native languages freely.
• "Flecked by the chalk of Britannia!" symbolizes their acceptance and presence in British society.