Workers, especially immigrant women, often work very hard for little pay. They continue to work day after day, doing the same tasks over and over again because they have no choice. Their diligence and hard work are described in the poem "My mother, who came from China where she never saw snow" by Laureen Mar. In the poem, the author uses punctuation, irony, and imagery to demonstrate the struggle that women workers have to overcome. to meet the end needs. The author uses sudden periods and commas to create a rhythm, which makes the reader pause. The rhythm of the pauses mimics the rhythm of her sewing, which makes the poem move with her. The author states, “He pushes the fabric / through a hammering needle, under, / around and out, / breaks the thread with a snap / against the finger bone, the tooth” (Lines 12-14). When read aloud, these lines create a pause, which imitates the rhythm of the sewing machine. The sudden pauses in the poem also imitate the factory assembly line. The punctuation in the poem also creates an effect on the reader, making them feel as if they are actually on an assembly line. Mar says, “Sleeve after sleeve, sleeve. / It's easy. The same piece” (15-16). When read aloud, this creates an effect on the passage to make it appear as if the reader is watching an assembly line. The punctuation in the poem ties together to create an effect on the reader, which makes the passage seem like an assembly line, doing the same thing over and over again. The author uses irony in the poem to show how the factory worker made ski coats, but will never see snow. The factory worker makes ski coats, but it's ironic that she makes something she'll never see. Laureen states: “Make money /...... half the paper...... air of the thread that goes through the sewing machine and how dirty the factory is. The author uses imagery to show the reader that in factories, people are not seen as human beings, but as extensions of the machines in the factory. In her poem "My Mother Who Came from China Where She Never Saw Snow," Laureen Mar shows the industriousness and great commitment of immigrant workers through the use of punctuation, irony, and imagery. All of these elements work together to make the reader understand the hardships these women have had to endure: making the same items, day after day, that they will never be able to afford or use. These women earn only enough money to survive. Works CitedMar, Laureen. “My mother, who came from China, where she has never seen snow.” GGCA English. GGCA English and Web. April 28. 2014