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Singh Song Analysis

This poem describes the experiences of Daljit, a second generation Indian immigrant living in the UK. He works long hours in his father's corner shop but takes breaks to spend time with his newlywed wife, much to the disapproval of customers. His wife rejects stereotypical attitudes, dressing unconventionally and arguing with his parents. In the evenings, the couple sit downstairs in the closed shop, staring out at the moonlit beaches, finding love and connection despite tensions between their cultures and expectations. The poem uses rhythmic language and references to both British and Indian cultures to explore the immigrant experience and balancing work and family life.

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Carmen KONG
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136 views

Singh Song Analysis

This poem describes the experiences of Daljit, a second generation Indian immigrant living in the UK. He works long hours in his father's corner shop but takes breaks to spend time with his newlywed wife, much to the disapproval of customers. His wife rejects stereotypical attitudes, dressing unconventionally and arguing with his parents. In the evenings, the couple sit downstairs in the closed shop, staring out at the moonlit beaches, finding love and connection despite tensions between their cultures and expectations. The poem uses rhythmic language and references to both British and Indian cultures to explore the immigrant experience and balancing work and family life.

Uploaded by

Carmen KONG
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Singh Song Analysis

Content
 The speaker Daljit was a second generation immigrant born in UK, and the poem describes that he
works in his father’s corner shop, but that his father would like him to work long hours.
 The speaker is newly married and he takes breaks to go upstairs and be with his wife.
 The shoppers are unimpressed with his absence, and his new bride seems to be unconventional, rejecting
stereotypical attitudes
 When the shop is closed, the couple sit downstairs and stare out at the moon.
Context
 The poet was born in West London, and moved to Sheffield as a teenager when his father opened a shop
there.
 His work frequently describes the experience of immigrants.
 In Singh Song, the Indian accent is reappropriated, and the rhythm and meter are fun and songlike.
 The poem makes use of stereotypes of Indian immigrant communities and challenges what it means.
Analysis
Title: Singh (Sanskrit meaning ‘Lion’) is a name of title. It is also a pun suggesting an upbeat rhythm. Song like
quality is conveyed through the use of half rhyme (ground/mouse), full rhyme (cool/stool) and refrain
Form: Dramatic Monologue, allows the readers to explore the conflict of work and relationships
Structure:
Stanzas 1-4: Alternating between stanzas to talk about work and marriage, symbolizes that he is torn between
his wife and career
Stanzas 5-7: “my bride, my bride my ride”  emphasis on love relationship
Theme: conflict between love, cultures, parents, expectation of public and private life
1st stanza: “I run just one ov my daddy’s shops”: ‘just one’ implies his father has many more shops; perhaps
suggesting he is proud of his father, but that he doesn’t live up to expectations. ‘daddy’: colloquial and childlike
Repetition of ‘d’ and ‘v’ sounds  alliterative and rhythmic
”from 9 o’clock to 9o’clock”  monotonous and repetitive nature of his job
Phonetic spellings are used to replicate an Indian accent
”but when nobody’s in, I do di lock”  separating public (downstairs in the shop) and private life (behind the
store, life with his new wife)
2nd stanza: anaphora and assonance of “ee” sound increases pace and rhythm, mimics the rough time he has
with his wife
”like vee rowing through the Putney” comic simile to denote the passion of their marriage (Putneyis the
Punjabi word for ‘wife’)
3rd stanza: Love for his wife overrides economic concern or public pride
Ven I returned vid my pinnie untied (euphemism)
 “di shoppers always point and cry”  conflict between expectation and reality
4th stanza: puns on cat and mouse, and the use of in the internet, ambiguous – is the wife being faithful to the
husband?/is hse running an online business?
Next three stanzas: Anaphora of “my bride” could be interpreted in several ways. Pride? Disbelief?
 “in all di colors of Punjabi”  vibrant (she is full of life, full of energy)
Unexpected behavior of the bride and the conflict of her with her new in-laws (swearing at the mother and
making fun of the father)
 “my bride/tiny eyes ov a gun/and the tummy ov a teddy”
 Unflattering descriptions which contrast each other, metaphor suggests she is calculated, precise and
dangerous, but also suggests that she is lovable and cuddly
”my bride/she hav a red crew cut/and she wear a Tartan sari/a donkey jacket and some pumps”: unexpected
appearance (stereotypically), wife has embraced aspects of Western culture, maybe a clash/mix of culture
”n do squeak ov di girls dat are pinching my sweeties”: refers back to ‘cat and mouse’ stanza – it is the wife
doing the chasing again
8th stanza: Euphemism
Shoppers are not satisfied with the shop’s service?
”Ven di precinct is concrete-cool/vee cum down whispering stairs/and sit on my silver stool”: alliteration and
sibilance slows the pace, marking a change in tone – measured and calm
vee stare past di half-price window signs/at di beaches ov di UK in di brightey moon  conflict between first
and second generations of Indians, speaker’s love for the Indian culture coupled with the love of his new
homeland (romantic image of beaches and moon)
Last four stanzas: anaphora shows the tenderness between the couple or the repetitive nature of their
interactions, money is less important than love
 Song like structure with a refrain and anaphora – upbeat and joyful poem

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