What God in the Kingdom of Bastards: Poems

by Brian Gyamfi

A California Review of Books Best Poetry Book of 2025


What God in the Kingdom of Bastards is a poetic exploration of grief, memory, Blackness, and the haunting legacy of familial trauma by way of colonialism, told through the lens of two Lot, the elder, who is flesh and alive, and Frank, the younger, a ghost navigating his post-suicide existence. Their relationship anchors the collection, weaving themes of love, loss, and the arduous reconciliation between the living and the dead. Combining vivid imagery with fragmented, conversational tones of prayers, laments, and whispered confessions that are surreal and lyrical, Gyamfi delves into the ways trauma—both personal and systemic—permeates family, faith, and identity.

Genres: Poetry

104 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, powerful, read it now!!!

[Alison B. Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read poetry before in my life except for the mandatory classwork in high school and college--so I should say I have never voluntarily read poetry before this book. I am stunned. if more poetry reveals the raw depth of human experiences, the ability to teach within beautiful writing, the ability to understand situations and circumstances way beyond Mr. Gyamfi's young age, then I am hooked. The variety of topics is incredible. As a 49 year old divorcé, The Almost Love Poem of Eloise and Kofi is the most succinct and beautiful summation of irreconcilable differences and missed opportunities I could imagine. Progeny of Wounds is tragic and cyclical and leaves you wanting to know more. Pick it up. Share with people you care about. I promise, you will be better for it.

[Tim Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a reader who doesn’t usually read much poetry, but this book stunned me. Brian Gyamfi’s writing is unflinching — it made me sit with things I’ve never had to name: shame, faith, race, and what it means to build a self out of contradiction.

The collection unfolds through the voices of two brothers, Frank and Lot. Sometimes it’s clear who’s speaking. Other times, the voices blur — and that becomes part of the experience. On re-reading, I found myself questioning: is this Lot? Is this Frank? Or is this one fractured voice, trying to hold everything at once? That narrative structure makes the book as emotionally layered as it is lyrical.

This book in a real way changed me. It’s a book I find myself coming back to.

[Miree Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I aspire to be water. There’s immortality
in the understanding of a dead boy floating in me.”
-The Revival

Gyamfi is meshing both the existential parts of life with very vivid imagery of the present. In some cases I feel like I’m floating through a story, where in other poems the rage of life is clashing with the beautiful scenery of the moment. Fragile Crafts, New World and The Revival are excellent poems worth rereading.

This volume of poetry scratches the itch for those who question life, and death in its very intimate meanings. If you find yourself in your everyday questioning life’s meaning and God, I feel this is a great book for you.


I was drawn to this book because of the title, and I feel that it delivered on its promise. Thank you for a nourishing read.

[Susan L. L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Gyamfi’s WHAT GOD IN THE KINGDOM OF BASTARDS is an astonishing collection that attends equally to the limits and possibilities of transformation, particularly the imaginative labor through which the self attempts to exceed its personal, familial, cultural, and historical boundaries. Across these poems, witness a speaker in perpetual flux, interrogating, visualizing, and elucidating with a fierce tenderness for his lineage while also aware one can never fully dissolve inherited wounds. Mythic, dream-like, visceral, incisive, and extraordinary astute, these poems enact a remaking that is restless, clear-eyed, and ultimately accepting of what any attempt to reimagine one’s history might, or might not, achieve. I absolutely LOVE this singularly captivating book! 10/10 recommend!

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been delving into a lot of poetry lately. I was pleasantly surprised with this collection as it wasn't like anything I've read recently. It addressed some interesting topics - spirituality, race, and sexuality. The references to spirituality and God involving men of the cloth particularly caught my attention.

The author also seems to question the afterlife and what lies beyond death. This is fascinating to me because I often have my own questions regarding this topic. I really enjoy when authors tackle topics like this!

This was definitely a challenging read but was worth it. I enjoyed it.

[Rhiley Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and University of Pittsburgh Press for the E-ARC! This E-ARC was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the way this collection challenged the strict lines of religion throughout its poems and how it warped the idea of homosexuality being a sin in the church’s eye.
It also delved deep into childhood trauma and points of views which elevated the reading experience!

[CoffeeNQuotations | Jacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

"𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺"
Gyamfi's poetry confronts the issue of harm-- institutional, emotional, spiritual, & physical. His writing is lyrical & impactful as it discusses the heaviness of Blackness in America, colonization, & generational violence. I really enjoyed this book of poems; it is not easy but it is an important read.
3.5 stars!

*Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!*

[M. Sarki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the book I've waiting for. Please read my review here:

https://open.substack.com/pub/msarki/...

[Lauryn Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

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