author

Chen Chen

A Chinese American poet known for wit, tenderness, and emotional clarity, his work often explores family, identity, queerness, and belonging. His debut collection won the Thom Gunn Award and helped introduce a voice that is both playful and deeply moving.

1 Audiobook

水滸後傳

水滸後傳

by Chen Chen

About the author

Chen Chen is a Chinese American poet whose debut collection, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities (BOA Editions, 2017), received wide recognition, including the Thom Gunn Award, and was longlisted for the National Book Award. His poems have also appeared in places such as Poetry and The Best American Poetry.

His writing is often noted for blending humor with vulnerability, taking up subjects like family, immigration, queerness, loneliness, and joy without losing a conversational warmth. That mix of sharp intelligence and openness has made his work especially resonant with contemporary readers.

A public photo from the 2017 Texas Book Festival and biographical information from literary sources help confirm his profile as an active and widely recognized contemporary poet.