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In the Middle of a Better World: Poems
What do we risk by living our most authentic lives? More importantly, what do we gain?
In the Middle of a Better World is a queer guide to love and identity, a collection both formally inventive and infused with a bright, shimmering imagination. The speaker of these poems isn’t afraid to dream, to be seen, to speak “the tender language.” Part elegy, part battle cry, this astonishing new collection by poet Grant Chemidlin is unabashedly joyous in its exploration of desire, human connection, and community—those we’re born into and those we build ourselves.
In the Middle of a Better World is a queer guide to love and identity, a collection both formally inventive and infused with a bright, shimmering imagination. The speaker of these poems isn’t afraid to dream, to be seen, to speak “the tender language.” Part elegy, part battle cry, this astonishing new collection by poet Grant Chemidlin is unabashedly joyous in its exploration of desire, human connection, and community—those we’re born into and those we build ourselves.
112 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2026
14 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
About the author
Grant Chemidlin
4 books102 followersGrant Chemidlin is the author of In the Middle of a Better World (Central Avenue Poetry, 2026) and What We Lost in the Swamp (Central Avenue Poetry, 2023), a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry. His poems and essays can be found in Literary Hub, The Los Angeles Review, Palette Poetry, Florida Review, Quarterly West, and the Academy of American Poets, among other publications. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 27, 2025
This is my favorite poetry collection from my favorite poet. His evolution is a sight to behold. The way this book captures the complicated queer experience — from shame and longing and anger and heartbreak to hope and joy and sensuality and faggotry — takes experiences I thought were singular and broadens them to feel inclusive and normal. The fag poems struck me; the form added another layer of storytelling to the already beautiful language…we erase ourselves until we decide to stand in our truth. It’s a collection that deepens with each reading and I can’t wait to explore every line for new meanings and understandings. Also, he’s hot???
November 4, 2025
4.25/5
Some of the most clever wordplay I’ve ever seen in a poetry anthology
Some of the most clever wordplay I’ve ever seen in a poetry anthology
January 11, 2026
| ARC REVIEW | Publication Date: 3rd February 2026
As this is a collection of poems predominantly focusing on queer love, I understand that I am not necessarily the target audience. Therefore, a deep personal connection to these poems was absent for me. However, this book was poignant, with each poem blooming with emotion and thought-provoking metaphors dotted throughout. The realities of genuine, reciprocated love — whether that be romantic love, or the love of family and friends — was demonstrated in a very sweet way, particularly the safe and comforting environment being surrounded by love creates.
However, overall I found the book decent at best. There wasn't one poem that I thought was amazing, and I was also rather taken aback by the poems detailing sexual exploration in an unexpectedly explicit way. Now, I am not a prude or against explicit content in books in the slightest. However, I think my issue with it was that I was not expecting it at all, let alone in somewhat graphic detail, so found it quite jarring and felt that it took away from some of the tenderness. However, I imagine that these poems could potentially be rather affirming and relatable to people who have been questioning their sexuality.
Love is fundamentally a dance of many emotions, and as was this poetry collection. However, unfortunately this book was not my kind of dance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Grant Chemidlin and Central Avenue Publishing for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
❀ Tia ❀
As this is a collection of poems predominantly focusing on queer love, I understand that I am not necessarily the target audience. Therefore, a deep personal connection to these poems was absent for me. However, this book was poignant, with each poem blooming with emotion and thought-provoking metaphors dotted throughout. The realities of genuine, reciprocated love — whether that be romantic love, or the love of family and friends — was demonstrated in a very sweet way, particularly the safe and comforting environment being surrounded by love creates.
However, overall I found the book decent at best. There wasn't one poem that I thought was amazing, and I was also rather taken aback by the poems detailing sexual exploration in an unexpectedly explicit way. Now, I am not a prude or against explicit content in books in the slightest. However, I think my issue with it was that I was not expecting it at all, let alone in somewhat graphic detail, so found it quite jarring and felt that it took away from some of the tenderness. However, I imagine that these poems could potentially be rather affirming and relatable to people who have been questioning their sexuality.
Love is fundamentally a dance of many emotions, and as was this poetry collection. However, unfortunately this book was not my kind of dance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Grant Chemidlin and Central Avenue Publishing for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
❀ Tia ❀
November 12, 2025
I don’t read much poetry, but this book reminded me why I should. The poems are clear, emotional, and easy to connect with and there’s no need to overthink them.
Chemidlin writes about love, queerness, shame, and everyday life in a way that feels honest and unforced. Some poems are funny, others quite sad, but all of them feel personal. My favourite was “Airbnb” — a quiet, nostalgic piece about friendship, connection, and being fully present in a fleeting moment.
By the end, I just felt quiet and grateful. This book makes poetry feel less like homework and more like being let in on someone’s life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Chemidlin writes about love, queerness, shame, and everyday life in a way that feels honest and unforced. Some poems are funny, others quite sad, but all of them feel personal. My favourite was “Airbnb” — a quiet, nostalgic piece about friendship, connection, and being fully present in a fleeting moment.
By the end, I just felt quiet and grateful. This book makes poetry feel less like homework and more like being let in on someone’s life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
February 25, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
I did not enjoy the poems where the letters were left out. As someone with dyslexia those poems were much harder to read.
I did not enjoy the poems where the letters were left out. As someone with dyslexia those poems were much harder to read.
February 10, 2026
a modern queer poet for the ages!!!
November 9, 2025
"Which me counts as memory?
Which lie was the real I?"
2.5 stars at best
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this poetry collection. I was genuinely excited to receive it, as I greatly enjoy reading poetry, especially when it’s queer. However, this particular collection wasn’t the right fit for me. I found myself disliking the narrative style of most of the poems; if the intent was to tell a story, I would have preferred it in the form of a novel or short story instead. I also didn’t enjoy the use of the letters “f-a-g” being omitted or greyed out in some poems. While I understand the artistic reasoning behind this choice, it ultimately felt more distracting than impactful. Several poems relied heavily on repetition, repeating the same line over and over, and after encountering this technique a second time, it lost its effect. Overall, I didn’t find much that felt innovative in this collection, and the narrative poems occasionally came across as a series of disjointed thoughts or phrases strung together in hopes of forming coherence, which, unfortunately, didn’t quite succeed. That said, there were moments, ideas, and emotions that resonated with me to some extent, and I did underline a few lines that I wanted to keep with me. I also thoroughly enjoyed how the author played with language and homonyms (sic!). Still, as a whole, this collection simply wasn’t for me, I’m afraid.
Which lie was the real I?"
2.5 stars at best
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this poetry collection. I was genuinely excited to receive it, as I greatly enjoy reading poetry, especially when it’s queer. However, this particular collection wasn’t the right fit for me. I found myself disliking the narrative style of most of the poems; if the intent was to tell a story, I would have preferred it in the form of a novel or short story instead. I also didn’t enjoy the use of the letters “f-a-g” being omitted or greyed out in some poems. While I understand the artistic reasoning behind this choice, it ultimately felt more distracting than impactful. Several poems relied heavily on repetition, repeating the same line over and over, and after encountering this technique a second time, it lost its effect. Overall, I didn’t find much that felt innovative in this collection, and the narrative poems occasionally came across as a series of disjointed thoughts or phrases strung together in hopes of forming coherence, which, unfortunately, didn’t quite succeed. That said, there were moments, ideas, and emotions that resonated with me to some extent, and I did underline a few lines that I wanted to keep with me. I also thoroughly enjoyed how the author played with language and homonyms (sic!). Still, as a whole, this collection simply wasn’t for me, I’m afraid.
November 13, 2025
I don’t normally read or seek out poetry but I found this book to be incredibly moving and accessible. It’s a fun mix of beautiful, thought provoking, and sometimes silly poems. Some of the poems challenged my perspective on masculinity, others offered an intimate glimpse into the author’s coming of age and experience coming into his sexuality. I’ll be checking out more of this author’s work, and will probably start reading more poetry because of him.
October 16, 2025
Firstly, know I’m not a poetry person and I’m very picky. I love poetry that is super well themed and queer, and this was only one of those things. I picked this up loving the cover and concept but was underwhelmed by the writing and thought some of the formatting was.. tumbler edgy and cringe.
The works I enjoyed surrounded the authors relationship with his father and the few poems focused on queer love! Unfortunately that was only about 15% and the rest was just very okay. I would recommend this to other who enjoy poetry but this wasn’t for me. Thank you Netgally for providing me with an arc!
The works I enjoyed surrounded the authors relationship with his father and the few poems focused on queer love! Unfortunately that was only about 15% and the rest was just very okay. I would recommend this to other who enjoy poetry but this wasn’t for me. Thank you Netgally for providing me with an arc!
September 20, 2025
This collection of poems by debut author Grant Chemidlin truly captures the joy and safety of genuine love—and not just love between partners, but between parents and children. As a deeply in love woman engaged to be married and as a mother to a teenaged son who is still figuring himself out, I felt particularly drawn to “Table Talk,” “At the Protest, I List the Consequences of Coming Out,” “Tiny Pants,” “As the City Burned,” “A Summer Camp Wedding,” and “First Time We’ve Seen Her Since the Wedding.” You will catch yourself smiling sweetly as you take in this sweet collection.
March 4, 2026
3 1/2 stars. A lovely collection of poems about the author’s experiences as a gay man - early inklings of desire, the shame as a young man, lusty wanting, the exuberant love for his husband, the joy of embracing his queer identity. Chemidlin plays with form at times in an emotionally affecting way.
October 23, 2025
Thank you Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review this collection!
The Homosexual Agenda and Reflex are easily my favourite poems in this collection by Grant Chemidlin. After all, love, is political, it cannot be anything but. Whether you’re a brown woman desperate for the right to choose a partner and have privacy with said partner, a Black woman trying to keep her partner out of the prison-industrial complex, or a queer person simply wanting to love and marry without risking their life; desire is inseparable from politics.
Which is to say that even a collection that claims to be unabashedly joyous is steeped in anxiety. You don’t sense that anxiety immediately; ‘The Beginning of Love’, the first poem of the book features cotton candy clouds.
"How did you do that? I said.
I don’t know, he said. I was just hungry."
This hunger that stems from joy and desire is a palpable force in the collection; all that you can do when you just don’t need to think about the queerness of it all. That this love needs to “hide behind/ the bushes. The trees,/ who see no deviance, offer/ their trunks for cover.”
‘Dark Sunday’ that ends the collection is also a great example of moments of uncertainty.
"I pull your body over me
like a roof, mistake
your drumming heart
for rain."
For a moment, and just a moment, on this rainy Sunday, is the mistake the chosen lover?
Other pieces that stood out to me were ‘The Prayers of Mice’ and ‘In the Hour of Want’; animals and the elements of nature trying fruitlessly to bring you closer to happiness.
And yet, Grant Chemidlin, could have also allowed this collection some more time to develop. Poems like “The Mysterious Missing Story” are good conceptually, but slightly cheesy. They’ll do very well on insta, which isn’t an insult, but they don’t make sense for the book the poet is trying to publish. Because of course, instagram and tiktok are what got the author here; so how much can they deviate from the style that got them here? You just have to take a look at the marketing plan on NetGalley!
My other main criticism of this book is that I’m not sure how inventive this collection is; does removing the letters f, a, and, g from all the poems titled “F A G” really make it different or just hard to read when you’d get the same impact while just greying them out slightly? Especially when some of the other poems do just the same.
Which is not to say that the collection doesn’t work; I am leaving it 3.5 stars. It works best when Grant Chemidlin leaves insta and TikTok behind to product mature, authentic pieces; works that are full of hunger, where joy and love, even with the politics that accompany them, are enough.
The Homosexual Agenda and Reflex are easily my favourite poems in this collection by Grant Chemidlin. After all, love, is political, it cannot be anything but. Whether you’re a brown woman desperate for the right to choose a partner and have privacy with said partner, a Black woman trying to keep her partner out of the prison-industrial complex, or a queer person simply wanting to love and marry without risking their life; desire is inseparable from politics.
Which is to say that even a collection that claims to be unabashedly joyous is steeped in anxiety. You don’t sense that anxiety immediately; ‘The Beginning of Love’, the first poem of the book features cotton candy clouds.
"How did you do that? I said.
I don’t know, he said. I was just hungry."
This hunger that stems from joy and desire is a palpable force in the collection; all that you can do when you just don’t need to think about the queerness of it all. That this love needs to “hide behind/ the bushes. The trees,/ who see no deviance, offer/ their trunks for cover.”
‘Dark Sunday’ that ends the collection is also a great example of moments of uncertainty.
"I pull your body over me
like a roof, mistake
your drumming heart
for rain."
For a moment, and just a moment, on this rainy Sunday, is the mistake the chosen lover?
Other pieces that stood out to me were ‘The Prayers of Mice’ and ‘In the Hour of Want’; animals and the elements of nature trying fruitlessly to bring you closer to happiness.
And yet, Grant Chemidlin, could have also allowed this collection some more time to develop. Poems like “The Mysterious Missing Story” are good conceptually, but slightly cheesy. They’ll do very well on insta, which isn’t an insult, but they don’t make sense for the book the poet is trying to publish. Because of course, instagram and tiktok are what got the author here; so how much can they deviate from the style that got them here? You just have to take a look at the marketing plan on NetGalley!
My other main criticism of this book is that I’m not sure how inventive this collection is; does removing the letters f, a, and, g from all the poems titled “F A G” really make it different or just hard to read when you’d get the same impact while just greying them out slightly? Especially when some of the other poems do just the same.
Which is not to say that the collection doesn’t work; I am leaving it 3.5 stars. It works best when Grant Chemidlin leaves insta and TikTok behind to product mature, authentic pieces; works that are full of hunger, where joy and love, even with the politics that accompany them, are enough.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In the Middle of a Better World is an exploration of queer identity and relationships through poetry. It is a short, accessible collection that can be read in the span of an hour or two.
As a queer man myself, much of Chemidlin's writing resonated deeply within me: how habitual it is for queer people to look up whether we'll be safe before making travel plans; the discomfort of sharing queer humor with cishet people and then recognizing that they see you as the punchline; the constant tension between the personal and political, and the realization that - try as we might - queer people don't have the luxury of truly separating them.
That said, I do feel that his subject matter does most of the heavy lifting here. The form of In the Middle's poetry is straightforward and simplistic, and closely mirrors the conventions of social media poetry. That in itself is not a bad thing, and for many readers that will actually be a strength - but for myself, I was hoping for more evocative wordplay, imagery and techniques, something that would make me want to linger over each poem longer.
The strongest pieces in the collection are "The Homosexual Agenda", which explores the tension between social acceptance and legal rights; "As the City Burned", about the lingering impacts of the Palisades fires; and "The Poker Game", which deftly illustrates the shocking feeling of otherness (both to others and to oneself) after coming out. I also found its first poem ("I") particularly successful in its simplicity - but its strength was diminished through repetition: the gimmick of removing the letters "FAG" was repeated in so many other poems that it became distracting, and it wore out its welcome well before the end.
Critiques aside, I still found value in the sentiments and experiences Chemidlin captures, and consider this a worthwhile collection for a quick read. Chemidlin is doing important work in capturing what it's like to be a queer American at this moment in time, and I look forward to seeing the author's writing continue to develop and mature.
Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As a queer man myself, much of Chemidlin's writing resonated deeply within me: how habitual it is for queer people to look up whether we'll be safe before making travel plans; the discomfort of sharing queer humor with cishet people and then recognizing that they see you as the punchline; the constant tension between the personal and political, and the realization that - try as we might - queer people don't have the luxury of truly separating them.
That said, I do feel that his subject matter does most of the heavy lifting here. The form of In the Middle's poetry is straightforward and simplistic, and closely mirrors the conventions of social media poetry. That in itself is not a bad thing, and for many readers that will actually be a strength - but for myself, I was hoping for more evocative wordplay, imagery and techniques, something that would make me want to linger over each poem longer.
The strongest pieces in the collection are "The Homosexual Agenda", which explores the tension between social acceptance and legal rights; "As the City Burned", about the lingering impacts of the Palisades fires; and "The Poker Game", which deftly illustrates the shocking feeling of otherness (both to others and to oneself) after coming out. I also found its first poem ("I") particularly successful in its simplicity - but its strength was diminished through repetition: the gimmick of removing the letters "FAG" was repeated in so many other poems that it became distracting, and it wore out its welcome well before the end.
Critiques aside, I still found value in the sentiments and experiences Chemidlin captures, and consider this a worthwhile collection for a quick read. Chemidlin is doing important work in capturing what it's like to be a queer American at this moment in time, and I look forward to seeing the author's writing continue to develop and mature.
Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2026
Another great one! Grant Chemidlin is such a talented poet and his work feels like catching up with an old friend. What I loved about this one is you can really see how much of an impact marrying his husband has had on his poetry. He’s more experimental, more open, more free, and in so many ways I could feel how the love in his life has allowed him to blossom. With that being said, all of it didn’t land with me. Some of the more experimental poems were hard to connect with which is the only reason I’m giving this 4 stars. But still love that he wrote them. He captured so much of the nuance and complexity of what it means to be a gay man while also distinctly giving me much more hope for what life can be. My favorite of this book was AT THE END OF ANOTHER SAD GAY MOVIE. I think it really captured the whole sentiment of the book well and this was one of his more experimental poems that I really loved the format.
His first book what we lost in the swamp was so deeply impactful for me as I remember reading it on a beach in Mallorca a few days before coming out to my parents. And that book it seemed like every poem spoke to my experiences and helped me capture my world in a way that I’m so thankful for. It was one of many books and films that gave me the confidence to come out. And I will always treasure that book and look forward to reading anything Chemidlin writes. But again I found the contrast between this book and his previous was that of someone who was able to experience a deep meaningful love and partnership that opened his poetry up to capturing more expansive ideas with more creativity.
His first book what we lost in the swamp was so deeply impactful for me as I remember reading it on a beach in Mallorca a few days before coming out to my parents. And that book it seemed like every poem spoke to my experiences and helped me capture my world in a way that I’m so thankful for. It was one of many books and films that gave me the confidence to come out. And I will always treasure that book and look forward to reading anything Chemidlin writes. But again I found the contrast between this book and his previous was that of someone who was able to experience a deep meaningful love and partnership that opened his poetry up to capturing more expansive ideas with more creativity.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Read as a NetGalleys arc, so my review will be in english, my native language is spanish, this can affect how I read poetry, as I'm used to reading it in spanish, something to keep in mind.
I took my time reading this book, reading a poem or two at a time, it had a really strong start, I loved the first few poems, it showed genuinity, with genius composition. The way he played with his poems was really exciting and unique, I have no qualms in saying his poetry is well-thought.
The reason it's not a perfect book for me is based on my own experience. Poetry is a way to connect with the author's experiences, in this case it portraits a queer voice, just like mine, as I'm part of the community too, but I have bastly different feelings about my own queerness. I think this is both because my identity and my age, I didn't have to grow up feeling ostracized, by the time I acknowledged my queerness, the media was already agreeing with gay right and progress was being made. I'm also an asexual person, someone who hasn't experienced most of what these poems where depicting and something that put a wall between me and them. I just wasn't able to connect with the sentiment they were written with.
I'm not saying only gay or queer men can read this book and identify with it, the poems are a unique experience that can show many of the feelings one can have being a minority or even being pro-minorities in a household that doesn't agree. Give it a chance if you are interested in hearing more queer voices in poetry.
I took my time reading this book, reading a poem or two at a time, it had a really strong start, I loved the first few poems, it showed genuinity, with genius composition. The way he played with his poems was really exciting and unique, I have no qualms in saying his poetry is well-thought.
The reason it's not a perfect book for me is based on my own experience. Poetry is a way to connect with the author's experiences, in this case it portraits a queer voice, just like mine, as I'm part of the community too, but I have bastly different feelings about my own queerness. I think this is both because my identity and my age, I didn't have to grow up feeling ostracized, by the time I acknowledged my queerness, the media was already agreeing with gay right and progress was being made. I'm also an asexual person, someone who hasn't experienced most of what these poems where depicting and something that put a wall between me and them. I just wasn't able to connect with the sentiment they were written with.
I'm not saying only gay or queer men can read this book and identify with it, the poems are a unique experience that can show many of the feelings one can have being a minority or even being pro-minorities in a household that doesn't agree. Give it a chance if you are interested in hearing more queer voices in poetry.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
11 January 2026
4 stars
I am always wanting to get more into poetry and I am always finding excuses to avoid it (I’m afraid!). This book was chosen while scrolling NetGalley because I needed a book released in February 2026 for the HRCYED challenge, and I saw “poetry” and “queer” and was sold.
Chemidlin’s poetry is accessible, poignant, and rebellious. I loved his wordplay and his willingness to play with the format of his verse (although a few of the poems felt a bit juvenile in form, all the rest were creative and very readable). I’m so happy I picked up this lovely book of poems and I want to save a few lines here so I won’t forget them.
***
“Still, days. Still days. I am full of pain & fossils.
I think I gave up a few lines ago, the poem on grief, or was it hope?
I turn off the lights. The poem glows.”
“You make friends with the three palm trees standing tall outside your window, make two peanut butter & jelly sandwiches & save the one for later, for dinner maybe, whereafter, you’ll do the dishes & hum a sad song about love, about what goes wrong, so when the time finally comes, you’ll feel you’re ready”
“I pull your body over me like a roof, mistake
your drumming heart for rain.”
4 stars
I am always wanting to get more into poetry and I am always finding excuses to avoid it (I’m afraid!). This book was chosen while scrolling NetGalley because I needed a book released in February 2026 for the HRCYED challenge, and I saw “poetry” and “queer” and was sold.
Chemidlin’s poetry is accessible, poignant, and rebellious. I loved his wordplay and his willingness to play with the format of his verse (although a few of the poems felt a bit juvenile in form, all the rest were creative and very readable). I’m so happy I picked up this lovely book of poems and I want to save a few lines here so I won’t forget them.
***
“Still, days. Still days. I am full of pain & fossils.
I think I gave up a few lines ago, the poem on grief, or was it hope?
I turn off the lights. The poem glows.”
“You make friends with the three palm trees standing tall outside your window, make two peanut butter & jelly sandwiches & save the one for later, for dinner maybe, whereafter, you’ll do the dishes & hum a sad song about love, about what goes wrong, so when the time finally comes, you’ll feel you’re ready”
“I pull your body over me like a roof, mistake
your drumming heart for rain.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Pride is hard when you aren't out, even to yourself. Pride is hard when you can tell another is unable to be out. Pride is not easy when the whole world seems to want you not to exist. Pride is...
Pride can be found in the poems within this collection. Some of us seem to forget what it was like to be in the closet. Or to need to stay in the closet. To be stealth. To pretend to be heterosexual.
These poems give words to the feelings we have all felt at one time or another. "I've always been out" is a myth. "I've always known" isn't true for everyone. But we must forgive ourselves. And understand how others' journeys will not always reflect ours.
But the poems also are not always sad or angsty. They are loud. Proud. Love between two men, three men, so many men, is normal and human. And yet, as the poem "Closer" within this collection says: "When straight people write about sex it's love. When gay people write about sex it's too much."
A small note: If the f-slur bothers you, you might want to skip. But the way the poems titled using the word are written is intriguing but might be difficult to parse for those who are dyslexic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the review copy.
Pride can be found in the poems within this collection. Some of us seem to forget what it was like to be in the closet. Or to need to stay in the closet. To be stealth. To pretend to be heterosexual.
These poems give words to the feelings we have all felt at one time or another. "I've always been out" is a myth. "I've always known" isn't true for everyone. But we must forgive ourselves. And understand how others' journeys will not always reflect ours.
But the poems also are not always sad or angsty. They are loud. Proud. Love between two men, three men, so many men, is normal and human. And yet, as the poem "Closer" within this collection says: "When straight people write about sex it's love. When gay people write about sex it's too much."
A small note: If the f-slur bothers you, you might want to skip. But the way the poems titled using the word are written is intriguing but might be difficult to parse for those who are dyslexic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5*
I sat down to read a couple of these poems. Then I read more. Okay, I'll stop at the halfway point.
Nope. Someone explain to me how a poetry collection had me hooked in the same way a fast-paced novel might? I loved Chemidlin's voice and wordplay and I didn't stop until there were no more poems left. Some of them I read twice, just for the heck of it.
Now, fair warning, this book is not lighthearted, and it plays with a certain three-letter word that will no doubt be triggering for some readers. That was an intentional choice, and it was used deliberately and in a variety of interesting poetic ways, but I very much understand why some readers may not want to encounter that.
That said, there's hope here, and brightness. One of the entries, a poem about the author's wedding, really runs the gambit of emotions associated with such an event. Others poems are more narrow, but refer back to poems that came before. This is a bittersweet collection, certainly, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, since I found the first handful of poems to be just okay. The later poems more than made up for it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I sat down to read a couple of these poems. Then I read more. Okay, I'll stop at the halfway point.
Nope. Someone explain to me how a poetry collection had me hooked in the same way a fast-paced novel might? I loved Chemidlin's voice and wordplay and I didn't stop until there were no more poems left. Some of them I read twice, just for the heck of it.
Now, fair warning, this book is not lighthearted, and it plays with a certain three-letter word that will no doubt be triggering for some readers. That was an intentional choice, and it was used deliberately and in a variety of interesting poetic ways, but I very much understand why some readers may not want to encounter that.
That said, there's hope here, and brightness. One of the entries, a poem about the author's wedding, really runs the gambit of emotions associated with such an event. Others poems are more narrow, but refer back to poems that came before. This is a bittersweet collection, certainly, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, since I found the first handful of poems to be just okay. The later poems more than made up for it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
November 13, 2025
When was the last time I read a poetry collection? Too long, and I’m glad I at last broke this cycle with this book. This is Grant Chemidlin’s third chapbook, and my first time reading his work.
His poems come across like someone who’s at last grown into his queerness. Now he begins the work of a lifetime: figuring out how to live now he knows who he is. He writes about choosing love and hope despite how the world makes that harder by the minute. Tender yet unflinching.
Each piece varies in length, composition, theme and formatting, yet the spirit remains the same: a bittersweet longing laced through beautiful imagery.
Because really, what’s life without longing? Doing without desire? Contentment without conflict? Everything exists in duality, including the search for a better world.
I received an early copy courtesy of the publishers via Netgalley. All opinions are mine alone.
His poems come across like someone who’s at last grown into his queerness. Now he begins the work of a lifetime: figuring out how to live now he knows who he is. He writes about choosing love and hope despite how the world makes that harder by the minute. Tender yet unflinching.
Each piece varies in length, composition, theme and formatting, yet the spirit remains the same: a bittersweet longing laced through beautiful imagery.
Because really, what’s life without longing? Doing without desire? Contentment without conflict? Everything exists in duality, including the search for a better world.
I received an early copy courtesy of the publishers via Netgalley. All opinions are mine alone.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc! out on february 3rd
i see this collection of poems like opening an old box full of letters and diary entries. there’s a bit crumbled, some makes you chuckle about of embarrassment, some reveal themselves like gold. you recognize the youthful quips in them, the less interesting poems, but you still look at the whole with affection and gratefulness.
i’m slowly getting back into poetry this year, and i’ve always loved queer poetry about complicated relationships, shame, admiration, personal choices, love, anger, sex, uprising and pride. chemidlin’s poetry contained some of the most genuine and embarrassing depictions of queer love and life, but i do a fair part of them did not reach me like i knew some others did.
my favorites were “table talk”, “visitation”, “at the protest i list the consequences of coming out”, “the homosexual agenda” and “for if i go first”.
i’ll keep an eye out for this poet.
i see this collection of poems like opening an old box full of letters and diary entries. there’s a bit crumbled, some makes you chuckle about of embarrassment, some reveal themselves like gold. you recognize the youthful quips in them, the less interesting poems, but you still look at the whole with affection and gratefulness.
i’m slowly getting back into poetry this year, and i’ve always loved queer poetry about complicated relationships, shame, admiration, personal choices, love, anger, sex, uprising and pride. chemidlin’s poetry contained some of the most genuine and embarrassing depictions of queer love and life, but i do a fair part of them did not reach me like i knew some others did.
my favorites were “table talk”, “visitation”, “at the protest i list the consequences of coming out”, “the homosexual agenda” and “for if i go first”.
i’ll keep an eye out for this poet.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Loved this collection of queer poems. They were tough but exquisite, tender but raw, deeply personal and intensely emotional. The writing was poignant and strong with lots of metaphors but always with so much love. I found the poems to be provocative, sensual, real and never veering too far away from reality. It felt like the author was taking back something that others had taken from him. Love is love always!
I really liked all of the poems but here are some of my favorites:
Pickup Trucks
The Mysterious Missing Story
Gay Voice
Little Quaint House
Table Talk
Leather Bars
Celebrity
Witches
Man Marries Man
When The World Ends, We Take Turns Playing Dress-Up
As The City Burned
What You Forgot
On The Eve Of Our Wedding
Our First Turkey
The Homosexual Agenda
At The End Of Another Sad Gay Movie
The Future
Thank you Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for this beautiful eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
I really liked all of the poems but here are some of my favorites:
Pickup Trucks
The Mysterious Missing Story
Gay Voice
Little Quaint House
Table Talk
Leather Bars
Celebrity
Witches
Man Marries Man
When The World Ends, We Take Turns Playing Dress-Up
As The City Burned
What You Forgot
On The Eve Of Our Wedding
Our First Turkey
The Homosexual Agenda
At The End Of Another Sad Gay Movie
The Future
Thank you Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for this beautiful eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
In the Middle of a Better World by Grant Chemidlin was my first full collection of poems, and it absolutely did not disappoint: thank you so much to Central Avenue Publishing for sending me the ARC. These poems so beautifully and thoughtfully capture what it means to be a gay man in America: tender, complicated, funny, political, and human. Some stories are sexual without ever being crude, others are reflective, but all of them are gorgeously written and linger in your mind long after you finish reading. Every poem feels intentional, inviting you to sit with it and think rather than rushing you along. My favorite poem appears in “The Homosexual Agenda,” where Chemidlin describes the moon as being gay, and honestly it is so accurate and perfect. This is a collection that feels both personal and universal, and I truly recommend it to everyone. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy when it releases on February 3.
October 27, 2025
Admittedly, poetry is pretty hit or miss for me. Almost every poetry collection ends up being a mixed bag, and this was no exception.
Many of the works felt original and inventive. In particular I like the multiple sets of very narrative poetry that excluded F A and G, showcasing the loss of understanding in a story when removing the queerness from it, as well as showcasing how removing the queerness from the story leads to incomprehensibly in the narrative.
Some of the poems, however, feel kinda basic. I wouldn't be able to point them out in a line up against various other queer poems I've read on Tumblr over years.
The craft is definitely here. If I was arranging this there would have been half as many works, but that's not bad for a collection.
(i received a free copy for review)
Many of the works felt original and inventive. In particular I like the multiple sets of very narrative poetry that excluded F A and G, showcasing the loss of understanding in a story when removing the queerness from it, as well as showcasing how removing the queerness from the story leads to incomprehensibly in the narrative.
Some of the poems, however, feel kinda basic. I wouldn't be able to point them out in a line up against various other queer poems I've read on Tumblr over years.
The craft is definitely here. If I was arranging this there would have been half as many works, but that's not bad for a collection.
(i received a free copy for review)
December 8, 2025
Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley for the digital arc!!
Wow, wow wow wow. I knew from the first poem that I would love this collection, and it proved me very right. From start to finish this was a delight to read, beautifully written, and easy for me personally to connect with. Grant put emotions I didn’t know I needed written into words perfectly. Some of the poems towards the end nearly brought me to tears, but in the best way. If I listed every poem I loved by name, it would simply be the table of contents, so I’ll highlight my two favorites: On The Phone, and For If I Go First. What amazing poems. What an amazing collection. Read this book. Grant, your words may end up as a tattoo someday.
Wow, wow wow wow. I knew from the first poem that I would love this collection, and it proved me very right. From start to finish this was a delight to read, beautifully written, and easy for me personally to connect with. Grant put emotions I didn’t know I needed written into words perfectly. Some of the poems towards the end nearly brought me to tears, but in the best way. If I listed every poem I loved by name, it would simply be the table of contents, so I’ll highlight my two favorites: On The Phone, and For If I Go First. What amazing poems. What an amazing collection. Read this book. Grant, your words may end up as a tattoo someday.
December 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Central Avenue Publishing, and Grant Chemidlin for this ARC.
I found this poetry collection to be just okay. The writing style felt tumblr-y at times and kind of lacked individuality, or a “voice” that felt unique to the author himself. I also thought the repetitiveness in some of the poems got kind of boring after a while. I did enjoy some of the pieces in this collection though, namely, “A Water Cycle”, “Man Marries Man”, “Too Many Loose Shoes in the Closet”, and “Rain”. They were really really lovely, and I found myself coming back to them again long after I’d finished reading this collection.
I found this poetry collection to be just okay. The writing style felt tumblr-y at times and kind of lacked individuality, or a “voice” that felt unique to the author himself. I also thought the repetitiveness in some of the poems got kind of boring after a while. I did enjoy some of the pieces in this collection though, namely, “A Water Cycle”, “Man Marries Man”, “Too Many Loose Shoes in the Closet”, and “Rain”. They were really really lovely, and I found myself coming back to them again long after I’d finished reading this collection.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This collection was wonderful! I opened this thinking I would read just a few poems before going out, and ended up being late because I sat and read the whole thing. It’s a quick read, and I loved how meaningful even the shorter poems were.
My favorites of this collection were "Table Talk," “Amy,” and "A Summer Camp Wedding.” Table Talk and Amy both meant so much to me, and I think they’re permanently engraved in my consciousness. I loved the creativity of removing certain letters from poems, and how that represents the way that queer people are so often forced to live incomplete lives, where they can express their whole selves without fear.
4/5 stars
My favorites of this collection were "Table Talk," “Amy,” and "A Summer Camp Wedding.” Table Talk and Amy both meant so much to me, and I think they’re permanently engraved in my consciousness. I loved the creativity of removing certain letters from poems, and how that represents the way that queer people are so often forced to live incomplete lives, where they can express their whole selves without fear.
4/5 stars
January 28, 2026
Tender yet bold, this collection delves deep into the heart of what it is to be queer.
Brilliant wordplay throughout, with creative prose that makes you feel.
I liked the concept of omitting certain letters within a poem, it felt like this poet used it to reclaim a common slur. However the more poems that were structured like this, the less powerful I found it, especially since it was the same letters hidden in each (if you’ve read this collection, you’ll know).
Overall, definitely worth the read and I’m excited to pick up more from this poet in the future!
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of this poetry collection to review.
Brilliant wordplay throughout, with creative prose that makes you feel.
I liked the concept of omitting certain letters within a poem, it felt like this poet used it to reclaim a common slur. However the more poems that were structured like this, the less powerful I found it, especially since it was the same letters hidden in each (if you’ve read this collection, you’ll know).
Overall, definitely worth the read and I’m excited to pick up more from this poet in the future!
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of this poetry collection to review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
[Digital copy provided by Netgalley]
Unfortunately this was not for me. The title and cover made it seem more artsy and political, maybe even utopian, but the contents stayed very conventional. My least favourite were the FAG poems with the empty spaces, the idea was solid but the excecution super inaccessible. Constantly having to remember which letters to put where ripped me out of the narrative and was frustrating as hell. I did like one poem, When the World Ends, We Take Turns Playing Dressup. If only more of this collection had the stunning imagery of that poem.
Unfortunately this was not for me. The title and cover made it seem more artsy and political, maybe even utopian, but the contents stayed very conventional. My least favourite were the FAG poems with the empty spaces, the idea was solid but the excecution super inaccessible. Constantly having to remember which letters to put where ripped me out of the narrative and was frustrating as hell. I did like one poem, When the World Ends, We Take Turns Playing Dressup. If only more of this collection had the stunning imagery of that poem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Continuing my journey to read more poetry brought me to this book In the Middle of a Better World by Grant Chemidlin and I really enjoyed these poems! These poems revolve around the author’s gay experiences and I enjoyed the autobiographical nature. I really enjoyed the poems that featured his family, marriage, love and inside jokes. My fave poems are The Mysterious Missing Story, Visitation, and Tiny Pants.
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for my ARC!
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for my ARC!
March 6, 2026
I am a big fan of What We Lost in the Swamp and this collection felt like both a continuation and deeper exploration into viability and belonging. Tiny Pants was a standout to me because it read and felt like family. I was also taken by the cleverness of the F A G poems placed throughout which remove all the f,an and g’s from the text, forcing your mind to complete it and stay engaged.
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