Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra

What is the form of Daljit Nagra's poem 'Singh Song!'?

It is a dramatic monologue, where a single character (Mr. Singh) gives a speech to a silent listener (the shoppers).

In the dramatic monologue of 'Singh Song!', who is the speaker addressing?

The speaker is addressing the complaining shoppers, as revealed in the line 'ven yoo shoppers are wrap up quiet'.

What effect does the dramatic monologue form have in 'Singh Song!' regarding the shoppers' voices?

It makes the shoppers' views seem unimportant to the speaker, as he only cares about his wife; his is the only voice we hear directly.

What biographical detail about Daljit Nagra's parents is relevant to the setting of 'Singh Song!'?

His parents, who were first-generation Indian immigrants, moved to Sheffield in the 1980s and opened their own corner shop.

What social and historical context led to the 'boom of the Indian corner shop' in Britain?

Following WWII, Indians were encouraged to move to the UK for work, and many saved hard to become independent by buying their own shops in the 1980s.

Daljit Nagra has stated he wrote 'Singh Song!' because he was fed up with English love poetry being '_____ and ____'

moody, grim

What is the key pun in the title 'Singh Song!'?

It plays on the common Sikh surname 'Singh' and the term 'sing-song', referring to the poem's musical, rhythmic quality.

What literary term describes the non-standard spelling used throughout 'Singh Song!' to represent a specific accent?

Phonetic spelling.

What was Nagra's intention in using phonetic Indian English ('Punglish') in the poem?

To force Western readers to engage with the Indian accent and see it as just another valid form of English, rather than something to be mocked.

How does the structure at the start of 'Singh Song!' reflect the speaker's divided attention?

The stanzas alternate between the topics of work and his marriage, showing the two things pulling at him.

How does the structural focus of 'Singh Song!' change as the poem progresses?

The focus shifts almost entirely to the wife, with multiple stanzas beginning 'my bride', showing love winning over work.

The repeated line 'Hey Singh, ver yoo bin?' functions as a _______ adding to the poem's song-like quality.

chorus

What poetic device is used in the lines 'my bride… my bride… my bride'?

Anaphora (the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses).

In 'Singh Song!', what does the use of half rhyme, such as between 'ground' and 'mouse', represent?

It reflects how the relationship is not complete when the couple are apart, as the rhyme itself is not full or complete.

When does Nagra use full rhyme in 'Singh Song!', for example with 'cool' and 'stool'?

He uses it when the husband and wife are together at the end, reflecting how they complete each other.

What is the double meaning of the word 'Putney' in the line 'like vee rowing through Putney'?

It refers to the London district but is also the Punjabi word for 'wife'.

What does the deliberate use of the Punjabi word 'Putney' symbolize for Western readers?

It symbolizes how Westerners might misunderstand the Indian population in Britain due to cultural differences.

How does Nagra use repetition in the line 'from 9 o’clock to 9 o’clock'?

It emphasizes the repetitive, monotonous, and dull nature of the speaker's long working day.

What item of clothing worn by the bride powerfully symbolizes the clash and blend of British and Indian cultures?

A 'Tartan sari'.

What cultural traditions are combined in the image of the 'Tartan sari'?

Tartan is a pattern associated with Scottish clans (British), while a sari is a traditional item of Indian clothing.

What is the likely significance of the word 'brightey moon' at the end of the poem?

It sounds similar to 'Blighty', a slang term for Britain derived from a Hindi word, showing affection for his new homeland.

What two opposing characteristics are juxtaposed in the description of the bride: 'tiny eyes ov a gun / and di tummy ov a teddy'?

Her fierce or dangerous side ('gun') and her soft, cuddly side ('teddy').

What does the wife's behaviour of 'effing at my mum' and 'making fun at my daddy' suggest?

It suggests a conflict between the modern, rebellious bride and the speaker's more traditional first-generation parents.

How is the relationship between the speaker and his father presented at the start of the poem?

It is presented as strained and hierarchical; the speaker works long hours in 'one ov my daddy's shops' and feels resentful.

What are two possible interpretations of the speaker calling his father 'daddy'?

It could be a term of childlike affection or a satirical criticism of his father treating him like a child.

What is the main conflict presented in 'Singh Song!' in relation to the AQA 'Love and Relationships' cluster?

The conflict between romantic love and the expectations of family, culture, and work.

Despite running the shop poorly, how does the speaker feel throughout the poem?

He feels incredibly happy and joyful because he is in love with his new bride.

What activity is the wife engaged in 'on di web'?

She is running her own online dating business, a 'Sikh lover site'.

The final four couplets, structured as a call and response, show the couple's relationship to be ________ and _______.

playful, intimate

What is the ultimate message about love conveyed in the poem's final line, 'Is priceless baby'?

True romantic love and connection cannot be assigned a monetary value and are more important than business.

The poem explores the theme of putting ____ before business and family.

love

The poem is not strictly autobiographical, but the context is one that Nagra would have been ________ with.

familiar

The complaints from the shoppers, such as 'yor lemons are limes / yor bananas are plantain', are presented in what font style in the anthology?

Italics.

What does the use of italics for the shoppers' complaints suggest?

It suggests the narrator is quoting their words back, rather than them speaking directly in the poem.

Nagra's first poetry collection, 'Look We Have Coming to Dover', focuses on the anxieties of what?

The anxieties of identity as a brown-skinned person in a white nation.

The speaker locking the shop when 'nobody in' shows his rebellious nature and his prioritization of his ____ over his work.

wife

How does the couple find romance in the mundane aspects of life?

They share simple food like 'chapatti' and 'chutney' with the same intimacy as making love.

What is the effect of the anaphora in the final couplets, where each line begins 'from di stool each night'?

It creates a sense of a loving, nightly ritual, emphasizing the couple's closeness and equity.

The romantic image of staring at 'di beaches ov the UK in di brightey moon' shows the speaker's love for what?

His new homeland, Britain.

What does the wife's modern profession of running a dating website contrast with?

The more traditional first-generation Indian culture of arranged marriages.

The relationship between Singh and his wife is equitable, playful, intimate, and also _________.

mundane

How does the poem subvert typical expectations of a new Indian bride?

She is unconventional, swears at her in-laws, has a 'red crew cut', and runs her own modern business.

What evidence suggests the speaker's father does not fully trust him?

The father owns multiple 'shops' (plural), but only lets his son run 'just one'.

According to Daljit Nagra himself, 'Singh Song!' explores the _________ of relationships.

complexity

Nagra stated that relationships are subject to factors such as class, caste, age, gender, and _________ models.

economic

The poem can be seen as a celebration of the lives of ________-generation immigrants.

second

The image 'stumble like a drunk / making fun at my daddy' presents the bride as what?

Disrespectful towards her father-in-law, but in a way the speaker finds amusing.

What is the significance of the wife wearing 'a donkey jacket and some pumps'?

It shows her adoption of Western, working-class British fashion, blending it with her heritage.

The final scene takes place 'Late in di midnight hour' when the shop is quiet, suggesting their love thrives where?

In their private time, away from the demands of work and customers.

How does the poem present a generational conflict between first and second-generation immigrants?

The father represents the hard-working, business-focused first generation, while the son prioritizes love and personal happiness.