,About the Poet
Amin Kassam (1948 - )
• Amin Kassam was born on November 19, 1948, in Mombasa, Kenya.
• He began writing poetry at the age of eighteen and has had his work published in var
East African journals since then. Drum Beat has also published an anthology of his wo
• His poetry has also been carried on Radio Uganda, Voice of Kenya, and the B.B.C.
• Amin also writes short tales, which have published in Busara (where he was formerly
assistant editor) and the Journal of New African Literature and the Arts.
• His poetry reveals an interest with, and strong awareness of, social interactions and
interpersonal dynamics, which may have emerged as a result of his studies in the soc
sciences at McGill University in Quebec, Canada.
• His verse's humble tone and inconspicuous themes frequently indicate that the purp
of life and a deeper knowledge of the essence of being human may be discovered in
and explained by - the natural world around us.
,The Poem
, The Title
a person or thing that is unknown or
with whom one is unacquainted.
Strangers forever
lasting for an endless period of
time; permanent, continuously
What does the title draw attention to?
What do you think it means?
The title suggest that everyone will be strangers forever - even us as the read
, Use of pronouns, indicates all inclusive (us
and we are all strangers) Lines 1–8: T
describes a gro
Describing each of us passengers who
Each of us as a passenger denies
us control, agency and on a train "by
self-determination as who appear
is a passenger we are not the ones everlasting jour
driving the train.
never reach the
seated in one huge This implies
happening to u
No one really knows where
compartment not control, i
their life is headed. We do
direct. It is all ‘b
not know what happen later
by choice wh
today, tomorrow or at any going we do not know where mystery as to w
time.
take you and sig
all strangers will never truly
or someone e
With the semicolon at the end of thrown together by chance ‘passenger’, ‘seated’, ‘co
line 8, the reader begins to ‘going’, these words corre
who travel without arriving ; a journey. ‘travel withou
understand that the passengers are
train is metaphorical
not strangers but rather familiar reaches a destination. ,
faces to the speaker. (people they assures the extended me
know) metaphor for
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller MrsVMatsukis. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R60,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
