Arrival is a PostColonial poem by EE Tiang Hong, a Malayan poet of Chinese ancestry. It describes the modernization of the capital city as a form of historical change from a
natural landscape to a city scape. Poet’s personal comments on modernization are expressed in the poem.
The poem is construc...
Arrival is a PostColonial poem by EE Tiang Hong, a Malayan poet of Chinese ancestry. It describes the modernization of the capital city as a form of historical change from a
natural landscape to a city scape. Poet’s personal comments on modernization are expressed in the poem.
The poem is constructed upon the arrival at the destination of a journey which symbolizes the end of
modernization process through the destruction of nature. The poem displaces a set of ironic interrogations
against the beautiful city through the destruction of nature. The poem represents that this is nothing but a wasteland for the poet and demonstrates the hollowness of
the poet. The poet makes an evaluation completely different from that made by the public. People doubt
about their arrival and is unable to find a solution to the problem. He laments on the loss of nature due to
the consequence of the wrong policies and shallow ideas. One can find autobiographical elements and
complete Malaya development in this poem. Equal rights are promised as well.
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Language: en
Added: Mar 02, 2023
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arrival Ee tiang hong
General introduction
Ee Tiang Hong (1933–1990) was a Malayan poet of Chinese ancestry He was born at Malacca during the British colonial period He was one of the first-generation Malaya poets writing in English. His first book of poetry appeared in 1960 He was extremely disturbed, troubled, and disillusioned by political developments in the newly independent Malaysia and, in particular, the May 13 Incident had a profound impact on him as is demonstrated in his poetry. Later, he emigrated to Australia with his family and settled down in Perth in 1975. He officially became an Australian citizen in the year 1979. He died of cancer on 27 April 1990 in Perth, Western Australia
themes As a poet, his works concentrate on discrimination, dislocation, exile, identity and idea of home signifying his own personal journey and condition His works remain highly influential in the literary landscape of postcolonial post-independence Malaysia Malayan traditional literature reached the public in the form of stage plays and shadow plays Contemporary Malayan literature is identified with the author and is presented in the written form
Various political, linguistic and cultural circumstances had rendered and marginalized both as a poet and as a citizen He was not silenced by the predicament and viewed poetry writing as an act of resistance He struggled with the undercurrents of the political and racial policies and soon became a Malaysian poet in exile. His sadness, sense of dejection and displacement soon pervaded his poetry with the remembrance of his homeland and the past
He published three poetry collections: 1. I of the Many Faces (1960) 2. Myths for the Wilderness (1976) 3. Tranquerah (1985) These three works represent the poet’s three significant period of social and political experiences The poet tries to establish a counter authority through his poetry. His poems are interesting as they are written in English, a language that was marginalized in his homeland
ARRIVAL EE TIANG HONG And this is the terminus of truth? Objectives of the dreams and all The speculations we saved up A lifetime and paid for? This dust and this laterite? And this the welcome await us, The glossy pamphlet promised During the Long hours to console A tedious journey? This dust on a barren ground? Are we really arrived, having we Really reached as the smooth guide says The great and beautiful city? Where the perennials thorn less an lovely Bear only fragrant thoughts and men Open as flowers, pure as sky? Dust grits my eye