Chen Chen Washes The World In Poems

The queer Chinese poet has become most known through his work for creating space.

As a person of color, an immigrant and queer person, Chen is vastly aware of the intersectionality of his own life and those around him and how we need to create this space in many places, especially poetry, in order for our lives to be understood. And it is this skill that has elevated him within his field.

Before being placed on the longlist for the National Book Awards Poetry list, he was already an award winner, among other accolades. He’s the author of two chapbooks, and earlier this year published When I Grow Up Up I want to Be a List of Further Possibilities which helped land him on the list.

Below Chen sent INTO a selection of poems to republish with his permission. Take some time, take a breath, and dive into the work of an incredible artist.

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Camaraderie
Irreducible Sociality
I am not a religious person but