3 Must-Read Daljit Nagra Poems

Daljit Nagra is a contemporary British poet who is born in 1966. He won the Forward Prize for a best single poem for ‘Look We Have Coming to Dover!’ His collections include Tippoo Sultan’s Incredible White-Man Eating Tiger-Toy Machine!!! which was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize.

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Look We Have Coming to Dover!

‘Look We Have Coming to Dover’ offers a bleak but hopeful glimpse of England through the eyes of immigrants risking it all to become citizens.

One of the first things that will strike you about Daljit Nagra's poem is its incredible contortions of the English language, conjuring sensations and images meant to articulate the complicated nature of an immigrant's first-impressions of the country they're settling in. Yet it is also a poignant dialogue between a contemporary Britain-born child of immigrants and the esteemed Matthew Arnold—one that draws on the latter's disillusionment with their much-loved country to contextualize the bittersweet experiences of those who've arrived in the hopes of callings its shores home.

Stowed in the sea to invade

the alfresco lash of a diesel-breeze

ratcheting speed into the tide, brunt with

gobfuls of surf phlegmed by cushy come-and-go

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

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Parade’s End

‘Parade’s End’ was published in the British poet Daljit Nagra’s debut collection “Look We Have Coming to Dover!” published in 2007. This poem taps on the themes of racism and the suffering of Asian immigrants in the UK in the 20th century.

Daljit Nagra is a British-Indian poet who focuses on the immigrant experience in his work. In 'Parade's End,' he shares personal stories about facing racism and the challenges of adapting to a new culture. His poetry often combines humor with serious observations, allowing readers to connect with his experiences. Nagra's unique voice brings attention to the struggles and triumphs of immigrant families in the UK.

Dad parked our Granada, champagne-gold
by our superstore on Blackstock Road,
my brother’s eyes scanning the men
who scraped the pavement frost to the dole,

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Singh Song!

‘Singh Song!’ humorously explores love over duty, using colloquial charm to capture a shopkeeper’s devotion to his bride.

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3 Must-Read Daljit Nagra Poems

Look We Have Coming to Dover!

Parade’s End

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