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I FUCKING LOVE CHEN CHEN.

This collection absolutely blew me away, and was instantly promoted to my favorites shelf. His writing is joyful and playful and queer in ways that shine through even when writing about fear, about heartbreak, about rejection from those who should love you most, about gatekeeping.

I made note of so many particular favorites, but one that I think encapsulates this very succinctly is "we'll be gone after these brief messages." god appears in a magenta rowboat. god, the poet's grandmother and mother all weigh in, often with barbs, about the meaning and purpose of life. But in the end, god gets back in a turquoise steamship:

life is a joyful thing he said
it's probably very good for you.

Chen Chen's collection of poetry is so viscerally emotional as to be both enchantingly impossible to put down and almost painfully relatable to anyone who has had to confront questions of queerness and acceptance within themselves and across family and cultural lines. So much is wrapped up in these poems. This book is a modern masterpiece of language, carefully crafted and masterfully wrought. Whether you are a fan of poetry or not, this collection belongs on your shelf and in your mind.

This collection traces loss and angst and queer joys through various relationships. The speaker in these poems wrestles with his mother's inability to acknowledge her queer son's boyfriend, lifts the names and voices of the innocent murdered at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, questions whether a white cashier really just discriminated against him (the way we Brown & Black people do: wonder if the racist thing we suffered only a few minutes ago was actually a racist thing, because a part of us, desirous of living free of judgement, still hope that the worst in people is not that bad, surely; not as bad as hate), expresses all the ways he loves men, and so much more. The collection is bold, unapologetic, grievous, and also heartwarming. show more There's this sort of gracious tone to the poems. I don't know why his grace surprised me - perhaps because the subjects of his poems, at times, don't deserve it (imho). A wonderful read and shoutout to Chen Chen. show less

this second collection has definitely confirmed for me that while chen chen is an accomplished poet, his body of work doesnt particularly appeal to me. he does however continue to shock me into stillness with lines here and there that are utterly exquisite. in this collection i particularly enjoyed "The School of Morning & Letters" and "Chen No Middle Name Chen"

In his second collection, Chen Chen writes about his investigation of both blood and chosen family, especially his relationship with his mom, his Asian American identity, and what it’s like being a queer Asian American living through the Trump presidency, mass shootings, and Covid-19.

I’m still getting into poetry. I’ve read a handful of collections here and there, so I’m not going to say I’m an expert on this and I’m learning all the styles and writing poets use as well. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Chen Chen’s collection.

Chen used a mix of different styles and writing, including languages - which, I would use my phone’s Google Translate and hover over the page… not sure how correct those translations were, show more but I think I got what was being said.

Chen also brought up how being Asian American during the time of Covid-19 was a struggle and all the racism that came with it, which always makes me both sad and angry at the treatment.

Overall, I’m glad I received this collection to read and I’m always open for new opportunities.

*Thank you BOA Editions and LibraryThing for a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review show less

I loved everything about this book - the layout, the format, the physical dimensions, the cover art. And of course, most of all, the poetry within. This was the first I've ever read of Chen Chen's work, but I've since gone on to collect everything he's ever published, and I even found out that he was an artist in residence at my undergrad alma mater. Truly beautiful and heartbreaking work here.

It's incredible how many times this collection either made me grin, laugh, or feel on the verge of crying. Amazing amazing amazing. There wasn't a single poem I didn't like. "Instead, queer means, splendiferously, you."