Explodingly Yours

January 13, 2023

Ghost City Press

A Best Queer Book of 2023 according to Autostraddle, this dreamily erotic, unabashedly romantic chapbook gathers previously uncollected poems to converse with a pivotal love poem from Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency. In addition to that piece (“The School of Eternities,” from which the title phrase, “explodingly yours” comes), this collection consists of “b-sides”—all queer love and queer sex poems that didn’t quite fit in that second book. Here in this fresh context, this raunchy realm, they get to live wild new lives.

GESUNDHEIT!

2019

Glass Poetry Press, collaboration with Sam Herschel Wein

"An ecstatic capitalized blessing, GESUNDHEIT! examines what we can't suppress—'head to wall collisions. Stuttering, pre-thought words'—and so must celebrate, interrogate and bring to light. This co-authored chapbook is a tour de force of radiant interconnectivity, (trust me on this) entire-body laugh out loud confession, and incisive social critique. Most of all, these gorgeous poems hold high the cherished intimacy that is activated in deep friendship. 'We are busy listening to friendship in the softest part of our pelvises.' Don't miss this jewel of a book." —Sarah Gambito

You MUST Use the Word Smoothie

2019

Sundress Publications, as part of the inaugural Craft Chaps series

“Craft Chaps aim to democratize creative writing education through making this material accessible for use both inside and outside the academy. We also recognize that ‘craft’ is not a neutral term, and seek to contextualize it within a range of aesthetic and cultural contexts. Through offering chaps from different perspectives and literary communities, we encourage students to resist ‘universal,’ often cis, white, male notions of ‘good’ literature.”

Kissing the Sphinx

2016

Finalist for Two of Cups Chapbook Contest

“There is so much love in these poems it seems Eros is nibbling at the ear of Chen Chen, and through him, at ours. Listen―yes, listen!―closely to this sensuous, tender and bold new voice in American poetry whisper his secrets of longing, erotic possibilities, allegiances, and invite us ‘to the apocalypse…should there happen to be one.’ I will join him, certainly.” —Curtis Bauer

“Chen Chen's Kissing the Sphinx is an utterly remarkable collection. There is always verve in his voice. His lyrical pulse is constantly intimate and frank. I listen very closely. These poems are riveting.“ —Michael Burkard

Set the Garden on Fire

2015

Porkbelly Press 

“Chen Chen has made his poems partly out of anger and partly out of wonder. The wonder comes from the celebration of the beloved and expanding notions of desire. Chen has the intellectual discernment to identify the disparities and rifts and indignities in citizenship and identity.” —Bruce Smith