yells a line of daycare kids,
pointing to snowflakes in the air.
Perfect symmetry. Unique pattern.
Soon, snow lands on their yellow hats.
Hurry up. The teacher in her white jacket
scurries to the front like a gust of wind.
As the snow melts into water,
they walk past Yaya in her red parka.
Yaya in her red parka
organizes her canvas bag.
Old election flyers. New books.
Instantly, they get soaked and swell.
Never mind. The reason
she came here is untellable.
Her dreams are as unattainable
as snowflakes.
In snow, she runs
towards her next class,
towards an unknown future,
past Lanjun in her brown coat.
Lanjun in her brown coat
pushes her small produce stall.
Bitter melon. Sweet potato.
Slowly, they freeze and wither.
Just one dollar. Her family’s
needs in China are unforgettable.
Her gains are as transient
as snowflakes.
In snow, she looks
for the next customer,
for the place meant for her,
past Bo in his blue sweater.
Bo in his blue sweater
changes his Tai-chi stance.
Yin, descending. Yang, rising.
Gradually, he finds inner peace.
Let it be. His failures
to help others are unthinkable.
His intentions are as pure
as snowflakes.
In snow, he lets go
of his body’s illnesses,
of struggles and sorrows,
past the bronze Sun Yat-sen statue.
The bronze Sun Yat-sen statue
holds a book, The Three Principles of the People.
Democracy. Welfare. Nationalism.
Silently, snow lands on the statue’s eyes,
past everyone wandering
between their ideals and reality
in Toronto East Chinatown.
Before melting into tears,
snow flowers.
Note
In Chinese, the literal me 1. aning of “snowflake” is “snow flower.”
Ling Ge is an author based in Toronto. Her chapbook Snow Flowers will be released in Spring 2025.
Questions and Answers
How/where do you find inspiration today?
I find inspiration from my own experiences. As a first-generation Chinese immigrant, I have indelible memories about my unusual childhood in China and the life of my immigrant family in search of purpose, identity, belonging, and justice in the Canadian society.
As a published writer, what are your tips or words of motivation for the aspiring poet?
Try to think deeply about what you have experienced. Think about the experiences that made you unsettled. Once you know what you want to tell your readers, use a form that works best for your poem.
What inspired or motivated you to write this poem?
It was the culture of silence within the Chinese diasporic group that made me unsettled and motivated me to write this poem that explores the historical cause of diaspora and reflects the present struggles of the Chinese diasporic group in Canada.
What poetic techniques did you use in this poem? How much attention do you pay to form and metre?
This rhythmic form not only uses repetition, minimalism, and symbolism but also looks like a snowflake. I believe every poem needs a form tailored to its theme and musicality, and thus each of my poems has a different form.