The Ballad of the Chinese Workers

Years ago, our own dear land,
In eighteen eighty-one,
Had a mighty railway planned
From coast to coast to run.
 
Hopeful men came flowing forth
In search of livelihoods;
Roused by tales of what laid north
And for what truths it stood.
 
Courage, justice, liberty:
What they expected here.
Freedom, fairness, bravery,
Not prejudice and fear.
 
It took four years to succeed;
In eighteen eighty-five,
We’d at long last done the deed
But lost one thousand lives.
 
 
Yes, one thousand lives were lost;
While fourteen thousand more
Lived and seemed to dull the cost
As better to ignore.
 
 
In a little grassy plain
A few small blocks of wood
Mark the bones that ne’er again
Went home they way they should.
 
Let your mind now wander out
To where theirs once did stand,
In their hearts no trace of doubt
But aspirations grand.
 
What did they think when they saw
The prejudice in store?
No refuge in love or law
From an unequal war.
 
Canada, our nation sweet,
Once not so long ago,
Sold its soul just to complete
This path that suffered so.

The Ballad of the Chinese Workers

Baapooh Chung

Grade 12

University Transition Program
Burnaby, British Columbia

I feel injustice over what happened during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway since I am of Chinese heritage myself.

Related Essays

  • Journey of Influence.

    Journey of Influence.

    Brianna Green

    Antigonish, Nova Scotia

    I chose this questions because it enabled me to share how Canadian History has influenced my life as an African Canadian.

  • My identity as a Chinese Canadian Woman

    My identity as a Chinese Canadian Woman

    Samantha Chan

    Toronto, Ontario

    I chose this question because I felt passionate to write about what moments in Canadian history make me who I am today.

 
View all essays