The title poem opens as such: “Who says spreading your wings means you have to fly high? Flying low is still flying.”
“People in a hurry, squeeze 61 minutes from an hour,” reads another line from the title poem, capturing the relentless pace of delivery riders who race against tight deadlines.
Around 84 million people are engaged in what Chinese authorities term new forms of employment, such as delivery workers and ride-hailing drivers.
DELIVERING MEALS, PENNING POETRY
Born to a rural family in Xuzhou, a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu, Wang dropped out of school as a teenager due to financial hardship – taking on various odd jobs, from construction to waste scavenging, according to Chinese media reports.
He became a food delivery rider in 2019, fulfilling orders around Kunshan city, the reports said.
But his love for reading persisted, and he has written more than 6,000 poems over the years, inspired by his deliveries and life.
Published in 2024, Low Flight is Wang’s third published poetry collection.
His first, published in 2023, was titled Man in a Hurry: Poems of a Food Delivery Rider – and his second collection, titled I Clumsily Love This World, was also published that same year.
“I hope that after reading, people will show (delivery) riders more understanding and patience, and that there will be fewer conflicts,” Wang told Chinese media outlets following his win.
He added that he would continue his work as a delivery rider for another three years before turning 60.
„Financially, I don’t need to do this job to make a living, but I love the vibe of the work and it keeps me fit,“ Wang told the state-run Global Times.
„I want to live a down-to-earth life, and the award will never change who I am. I will keep writing and sharing ordinary people’s life stories through literature.“
