Chinese Workers on the Evening train is a poem written by Theopilus Kwek.

Here is the poem,

 

their tongues are rough, but fluent. they carve

our silence into syllables that explore the crowd,

fingers scouring thick curls in search of roots.

 

there is a disquiet at this intrusion, leave us alone.

our lips say, we are pressed and drained

by the office, you are from a different world.

 

but they stay, and continue speaking, voices raucous

and very dusty, the safety patches on their vests

ring loudly against our suits.

 

we have learnt your words before, our lips open

in protest. we have no time for them now,

they are so full of bad memories.

 

still they take no notice, even joking among them

selves. some of us turn to look, but dare

not stare too long. they are an island in our sea.

 

Through the poem, the post is expressing how annoyed the locals are with the foreign workers. He also expresses some difference between the foreign workers and the locals.

For example, he shows the differences through the line ”you are from a different world”. The words “different world” creates an image of the office which the locals work in a different world compared to the  foreign  workers working environment. It also refers to the foreign workers country being different compared to to locals country. It emphasises  the distinction and status where the locals are superior. This also suggests the locals disgust in their presence.

The poet also shows the speakers loneliness of the foreign workers through the line “fingers scouring thick curls in search of roots”.  It shows how the foreign workers are searching for family members and friends in the country. They seem to have no roots, and no sense of belonging in the country even though they are constantly searching.

Finally, he expresses the locals being annoyed with the foreign workers through the line “they carve our silence”. The locals are annoyed with how loud the foreign workers talk. They get even more annoyed as they have finished a day of work and just want some peace and quite. Again, this suggests that the locals feel that the foreign workers are an intrusion into their lives.