Ethan Soledad: Poems from Angel Island
(b.1999)
Commissioned by the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Chamber Music Northwest and
Seattle Chamber Music Society.
San Francisco Bay’s Angel Island acted as an immigration station for mostly Chinese
immigrants in the beginning of the 20th century during the Chinese Exclusion Act. Many of
those coming through would pose as “paper sons or daughters,” forging documents to make
it seem like they were related to someone already a citizen of the US. The US was aware of
this and as such implemented an intense interrogation process to find out if they were telling
the truth. Those held at the station would spend weeks, months, and even years on the island
before being released or sent back to their origins. Hundreds of poems are inscribed on the
walls telling of their feelings of anxiety, fear, boredom, and despair in the terrible living
conditions and grueling questioning by the immigration officers.
Upon reading the poem inspiring the first movement, I had a very vivid image in my
mind of a bird trying to escape from its cage and being yanked down violently each time. Just
as the poem says, “After leaping into prison, I cannot come out,” the piece opens with the
listener being thrust into the fray, evoking a sense of panic and anxiety in the quickly shifting
textures. The movement comes to a climax with the cello playing against the other strings
and the piano, creating a sense of conflict and violence before slowly fading out into nothing.
The second movement evokes the quiet emotions felt by those on the island, as so
eloquently expressed by the poet. There’s a sense of loneliness, despair, grief and
homesickness as the poet perhaps regrets coming to a foreign land. Through this movement,
in addition to portraying the imagery of the poem, I wanted to portray the emotions left
unsaid- a sense of hopelessness that may arise from the question “will I ever be released?”
The third movement immediately follows the second without pause, beginning with
an extensive violin cadenza. I similarly wanted to portray a sense that the poet has lost all
hope before finally being told that they’re going to be released into the US. What follows is a
dramatic shift in the harmonic language. The violin solo continues, first echoed by the strings before being joined at the unison by the piano. This represents the poet “rejoicing”
with their fellow villagers and the Asian American community as a whole coming together to
thrive in spite of the violence, racism, trauma and other hardships they’ve faced. The piece
ends with a short lullaby evoking the textures of the first movement, representing that this
piece of history- one that is relatable to any immigrant population in the world- is one to live
with and to learn from.
Translations by Genny Lim
1. From Endless Sorrows, Tears and Blood Streak – Lee Gengbo of Toishan
After leaping into prison, I cannot come out.
From endless sorrows, tears and blood streak.
The jingwei bird carries gravel to fill its old grudge.
The migrating wild goose complains to the moon, mourning his harried life.
When Ziqing was in distant lands, who pitied and inquired after him?
When Ruan Ji reached the end of the road, he shed futile tears.
The scented grass and hidden orchids complain of withering and falling.
When may I be allowed to soar at my own pleasing?
2. Random Thoughts, Deep at Night – Yee of Toishan
In the quiet of night, I heard, faintly, the whistling of wind.
The forms and shadows saddened me; upon seeing the landscape, I composed a poem.
The floating clouds, the fog, darken the sky.
The moon shines faintly as the insects chirp.
Grief and bitterness entwined are heaven sent.
The sad person sits alone, leaning by a window.
3. Cages of Jade – Poem 135
Detained in this wooden house for several tens of days,
It is all because of the Mexican exclusion law which implicates me.
It’s a pity heroes have no way of exercising their prowess.
I can only await the word so that I can snap Zu’s whip.
From now on, I am departing far from this building
All of my fellow villagers are rejoicing with me.
Don’t say that everything within is Western styled.
Even if it is built of jade, it has turned into a cage.
