Having a Coke with Godzilla

by Kazumi Chin

These poems by Kazumi Chin learn to create intimacy and connection in the age of social media. They embrace the consumption of pop culture and reflect back how this country is experienced by those who are marginalized and oppressed. They understand history, the work of ancestry, but sit in the here and now, inside the dearth and speed of information and reaches out a hand. And in these poems there may be a certain sadness but more so a certain hope . - Jason Bayani, author of Amulet

Genres: Poetry

82 pages, Paperback

Published March 14, 2017

Reviews

[Chami Rassekh]

Absolutely love this collection.

Kazumi was a professor of mine many years ago and his class truly made me fall in love with poetry. Reading his book was an emotional experience to say the least.

Some of my favorites:

Homeland Security Arrests Godzilla
Becoming Kazumi
Banshee, Untied
Camp
Sumi

[Abby Close]

“This poem has none of the depth of any of the others I’ve been writing, but I don’t care. Sometimes love has no depth.”

I’m not super used to reading poetry but this was a great collection to be exposed to. I’ve read very few poems that refer to Ariana Grande but enjoyed them nonetheless. Kazumi’s work feels very intimate and personal and his use of pop culture lets you know it’s normal to feel this way too. It’s nice to see inside someone else’s mind.

“To burn a witch you must know her name.”

[André Habet]

Opens new ways for me to consider masculinity and how coauthorship and collectivity can resonate through a person's poetry. Really wonderful stuff here.

[Luba]

this is probably the best poetry collection that I have ever read!!

[Simon]

Feel very pulled by his voice, connect with and am interested in the stories he tells, this "I" that struggles, dreams, shape-shifts, calls to friends.