Paul Yee fonds, City of Vancouver Archives
There was…… something…….. about
Dominion Day.…… July ……….. …… . first, …… 1923.
But then there was also knowing that I’d
never see them again.
Here are two things that I know:
I. An empty room is so much more when I close my eyes.
It’s utterly desperate and pathetic to find myself in the sordidness of this room.
She’s there—…… I can imagine her laughter—
her touch, ……… …… … the way her sharp brown eyes crinkle when she smiles.
Her shadow …… that’s somewhere
in China is …… in …… this room also. This wintry room is…… warm and lit—the sun can only illuminate half the earth at a time, yet— …… she can burn her fire for me
from the other …… ha…… lf.
And II. An empty room is just an empty room when my eyes are wide open.
I arrived by ship …… ………. …… .. …… 1919.
Everything we had, …… …… gone, …… …… to head tax.
Promised my wife, and Mom and Dad, that I’d labour away at the cannery,
earn enough to pay for them too……. …… So that
they could live in this land of feigned freedom, …… false opportunity, overt exploitation.
Listen, I’ll endure it. Bleary, …… …… exhausted, muscle-aching, cultural shame, never enough.
…… …… Never going to prove myself.
July first. …… 1923.. …… My suffering has been futile. No chance, no shining beacon,
no saviour …… …… and …… no salvation. I shut my eyes and I can’t see them in this room.
This was the beginning of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
This was the end of everything.
Isabel Hernandez-Cheng is a Grade 11 student at York House School, passionate about language arts, fencing, and classical music. Since she was little, she has been an avid fan of all things poetry. Isabel can often be found trying out new coffee shops or at a VSO concert.