Letter writing, Panjabi

Handwritten poem by Kartar Kaur expressing emotions of pain towards her love. She uses the metaphor of crossing a river on an old boat as a non-swimmer, unable to see the other shore, to describe her feelings and struggles.

Highlights from Kartar's letters compiled and copied by Atma Singh Rai. Kartar Kaur frequently wrote letters from India to her husband, Atma Singh, who lived and worked as a sawmill worker in Hillcrest, Vancouver Island in Canada. She expressed her hopes, fears, and longings in poetic verses along with occassional news. Additionally, she would write about daily events and tasks that she did or planned to do.