Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
traveling poet • phd in english • 2 books with @boa-editions.bsky.social • latest chapbook @ghostcitypress.bsky.social • faculty at new england college • abolish the police & free palestine
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https://www.chenchenwrites.com/the-latest
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https://www.chenchenwrites.com/the-latest
Pinned
Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
· Nov 22
hello, good evening, my name
is chen chen, i’m a poet, and you may know me from such poems as this, “i love you to the moon &”
is chen chen, i’m a poet, and you may know me from such poems as this, “i love you to the moon &”
one of the things that makes me happiest on this earth is when a friend is about to start a book or watch a film that i love. of course it's great when it's one i've directly recommended to them, but somehow it's even better when i haven't, and it's a sort of gift of fate
December 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
one of the things that makes me happiest on this earth is when a friend is about to start a book or watch a film that i love. of course it's great when it's one i've directly recommended to them, but somehow it's even better when i haven't, and it's a sort of gift of fate
If it must
be winter, let it be absolutely winter.
—Linda Gregg, from "Part of Me Wanting Everything to Live"
be winter, let it be absolutely winter.
—Linda Gregg, from "Part of Me Wanting Everything to Live"
December 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
If it must
be winter, let it be absolutely winter.
—Linda Gregg, from "Part of Me Wanting Everything to Live"
be winter, let it be absolutely winter.
—Linda Gregg, from "Part of Me Wanting Everything to Live"
my favorite kind of emailing Experience is when someone writes to you and then you write back promptly and then you're hit with an out of office automatic reply... like, wasn't this Your Idea to Begin With
December 22, 2025 at 4:32 PM
my favorite kind of emailing Experience is when someone writes to you and then you write back promptly and then you're hit with an out of office automatic reply... like, wasn't this Your Idea to Begin With
betrayed by microsoft word once again
December 22, 2025 at 5:57 AM
betrayed by microsoft word once again
i am the chaos and the agent of chaos in my own life
December 22, 2025 at 2:56 AM
i am the chaos and the agent of chaos in my own life
the absolutely joyous and the sad but still delicious: my life in snacks
December 21, 2025 at 9:54 PM
the absolutely joyous and the sad but still delicious: my life in snacks
the holidays are a time of reflection, a time in which i reflect on how i am still very much an introvert and don't want to be around all these people
December 19, 2025 at 11:23 PM
the holidays are a time of reflection, a time in which i reflect on how i am still very much an introvert and don't want to be around all these people
i need a beautiful pair of pajamas
December 19, 2025 at 7:51 PM
i need a beautiful pair of pajamas
i want time to watch more films but i also want time to read more books but i also want time to look at more nothing
December 19, 2025 at 6:17 AM
i want time to watch more films but i also want time to read more books but i also want time to look at more nothing
i love how poetry is (all at once) overthinking and overfeeling and overlanguaging
December 17, 2025 at 9:46 PM
i love how poetry is (all at once) overthinking and overfeeling and overlanguaging
oh this life of tears and giggles, sobs and great big guffaws
December 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
oh this life of tears and giggles, sobs and great big guffaws
love a shiny twinkly little trinquette~
December 13, 2025 at 10:44 PM
love a shiny twinkly little trinquette~
Reposted by Chen Chen
Cover reveal: Shō No. 8 | Winter 2025/2026
Cover art: “Hopi Leia” by Sikuyva Dawavendewa.
Our winter issue features 72 poems by 48 poets (names threaded below).
Pre-order link: tinyurl.com/shono8
The winners and runners-up of the editors’ prizes will be announced this week!
Cover art: “Hopi Leia” by Sikuyva Dawavendewa.
Our winter issue features 72 poems by 48 poets (names threaded below).
Pre-order link: tinyurl.com/shono8
The winners and runners-up of the editors’ prizes will be announced this week!
December 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Cover reveal: Shō No. 8 | Winter 2025/2026
Cover art: “Hopi Leia” by Sikuyva Dawavendewa.
Our winter issue features 72 poems by 48 poets (names threaded below).
Pre-order link: tinyurl.com/shono8
The winners and runners-up of the editors’ prizes will be announced this week!
Cover art: “Hopi Leia” by Sikuyva Dawavendewa.
Our winter issue features 72 poems by 48 poets (names threaded below).
Pre-order link: tinyurl.com/shono8
The winners and runners-up of the editors’ prizes will be announced this week!
Reposted by Chen Chen
“the enormous / hocus of your trembling pocus”
— Chen Chen (@chenchenwrites.bsky.social)
.
.
.
This poem appeared in Split This Rock, 2023. Shared here with deep gratitude.
— Chen Chen (@chenchenwrites.bsky.social)
.
.
.
This poem appeared in Split This Rock, 2023. Shared here with deep gratitude.
December 10, 2025 at 2:02 PM
“the enormous / hocus of your trembling pocus”
— Chen Chen (@chenchenwrites.bsky.social)
.
.
.
This poem appeared in Split This Rock, 2023. Shared here with deep gratitude.
— Chen Chen (@chenchenwrites.bsky.social)
.
.
.
This poem appeared in Split This Rock, 2023. Shared here with deep gratitude.
true happiness is found in an used book of strange poems
December 10, 2025 at 12:11 AM
true happiness is found in an used book of strange poems
... these songs I've
built from things too difficult
to speak of
—Carl Phillips, from "Fist and Palm"
built from things too difficult
to speak of
—Carl Phillips, from "Fist and Palm"
December 8, 2025 at 4:31 PM
... these songs I've
built from things too difficult
to speak of
—Carl Phillips, from "Fist and Palm"
built from things too difficult
to speak of
—Carl Phillips, from "Fist and Palm"
saw a man today… a beautiful man… running through the swirling snow… to chipotle
December 8, 2025 at 4:06 AM
saw a man today… a beautiful man… running through the swirling snow… to chipotle
Why did I flinch? I loved you.
—James Merrill, from "The Mad Scene"
—James Merrill, from "The Mad Scene"
December 8, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Why did I flinch? I loved you.
—James Merrill, from "The Mad Scene"
—James Merrill, from "The Mad Scene"
passenger princess pisces poet
December 7, 2025 at 9:46 PM
passenger princess pisces poet
enveloped in a slanket of mystery & dream
December 7, 2025 at 3:06 AM
enveloped in a slanket of mystery & dream
procrastinating on being like, a person
December 5, 2025 at 3:10 AM
procrastinating on being like, a person
when we drive in your car i’m your baby because i can’t drive can’t navigate couldn’t tell you what a car is or will be
December 3, 2025 at 11:31 PM
when we drive in your car i’m your baby because i can’t drive can’t navigate couldn’t tell you what a car is or will be
the narrator of your lyrical autofiction and the speaker of my narrative docupoem walk into a bar
December 3, 2025 at 9:27 PM
the narrator of your lyrical autofiction and the speaker of my narrative docupoem walk into a bar
Reposted by Chen Chen
LAST CALL to submit your manuscript for consideration for the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize! Submittable closes tomorrow- don't wait!
🎯 Prize Details:
- Winning manuscript published by BOA Editions in Spring 2027
- $1,000 honorarium
🎯 Prize Details:
- Winning manuscript published by BOA Editions in Spring 2027
- $1,000 honorarium
November 29, 2025 at 5:03 PM
LAST CALL to submit your manuscript for consideration for the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize! Submittable closes tomorrow- don't wait!
🎯 Prize Details:
- Winning manuscript published by BOA Editions in Spring 2027
- $1,000 honorarium
🎯 Prize Details:
- Winning manuscript published by BOA Editions in Spring 2027
- $1,000 honorarium
Reposted by Chen Chen
It’s the FINAL DAY of our fundraising auction ft. @gabriellebates.bsky.social, @chenchenwrites.bsky.social, Ross Gay, Ariana Reines, @cathylinhche.bsky.social, @taraskurtu.bsky.social, @joseolivarez.bsky.social, Hala Alyan & more! Get your bids in by 10pm ET!
givebutter.com/c/bkp2025/au...
givebutter.com/c/bkp2025/au...
Brooklyn Poets 2025 End of Year Fundraising Campaign
Help us continue cultivating community and access to poetry across the borough and beyond by supporting our end-of-year fundraising campaign today!
givebutter.com
November 30, 2025 at 5:01 PM
It’s the FINAL DAY of our fundraising auction ft. @gabriellebates.bsky.social, @chenchenwrites.bsky.social, Ross Gay, Ariana Reines, @cathylinhche.bsky.social, @taraskurtu.bsky.social, @joseolivarez.bsky.social, Hala Alyan & more! Get your bids in by 10pm ET!
givebutter.com/c/bkp2025/au...
givebutter.com/c/bkp2025/au...