Nagra, whose own parents came to England from the Punjab in the 1950s, draws on both English and Indian-English traditions to tell stories of alienation, assimilation, aspiration and love, from a stowaway’s first footprint on Dover Beach to the disenchantment of subsequent generations. begins with a good example of alliteration, the simple connection of the words “Seagull” and “shoal. The inclusion of “invade” introduces the ongoing theme of words with negative connotations, but this one is particularly notable because of the direct link to hostile people entering another country.

This has been interpreted as representing the shape of the cliffs of Dover; cycles of emigration and immigration; the five oceans of the world; cycles of life, death and rebirth. This would be very effective for readers who notice the inclusion of such words but don’t immediately see them as ‘foreign’ because it would demonstrate how language has evolved, and how little it has been realised by modern society. But the poem's sparky, inventive language suggests that immigration is a revitalizing force, offering immigrants' adoptive countries fresh energy and fresh perspectives. This could cause many different reactions, such as an immediate assumption that the poem is written by someone with a poor grasp of the English language, or that the idea of immigration is being mocked in some way. Identity: British identity is explored through various iconic images and well known references, but this idea of identity is also increasingly morphed by additional cultural identities.

However, this is juxtaposed with the idea of being “stowed” and hidden away unnoticed, with it unlikely for people to be able to invade a country with no supplies.

Literature is one of her greatest passions which she pursues through analyzing poetry on Poem Analysis. The immigrants are camouflaged while the animals are out in the open, making noise and going where they please. As such, this would help to make the poem even more memorable and help a reader consider the implications and ideas of the poem in todays society. Its rhythmical, phonetic delicacies offer a colourful insight into British-Asian culture and are an inspiration to read. Building on your ideas, in stanza three, “unclocked by the national eye” also suggests that the only work the migrants can get is illegal.

Intriguingly, a reader today may find this line even more notable than in 2007 (the year in which the poem was published) due to former Prime Minister David Cameron’s description of migrants crossing the Mediterranean as a “swarm”. Some readers may see this as showing waves and tides with this gradual but clear flow and change, or alternatively the movement of people across the world throughout history and different cycles of immigration and emigration.