“Affection,” “The Clock,” “Clothes,” “Friendships—died once beloved,” “The Ocean,” and “Optimism—died a slow death into a pavement”—all poems published in the Kenyon Review—also appeared in Best American Poetry 2019, selected by Major Jackson and published by Scribner.
“Language—died, brilliant and beautiful” was anthologized in The Eloquent Poem, edited by Elise Paschen and published by Persea Books.
A part of this book was awarded the Poetry Society of America’s 2018 Alice Fay di Castagnola Award. “The Obituary Writer” was published on PSA’s website.
Thank you to Copper Canyon Press and the entire team.
Thank you to the Guggenheim Foundation, the Sustainable Arts Foundation, the Poetry Society of America, the Pushcart Prize, the Housatonic Book Awards, the Lannan Foundation, and the MacDowell Colony for support and encouragement.
Thanks to all my beloved friends and supporters—way too many to mention, but here are just a few: Ilya Kaminsky (for tirelessly reading many versions of the manuscript and for all the conversations), G.C. Waldrep + Dana Levin + John Gallaher (my trusted friends in art and life), Dean Rader, Rick Barot, David Baker, Isaac Fitzgerald, Liza Voges, Jen Chang, Maggie Smith, Ann Townsend, and Wayne Miller; my LA poet friends Van Khanna, Blas Falconer, Elline Lipkin, and Charlie Jensen; my National Book Critics Circle colleagues; all my Antioch University colleagues (thanks Bernadette, Natalie, and Daisy!); my Idyllwild colleagues such as Ed Skoog and Heather Companiott; all my social media friends, and so many more…
Thanks to my family for tolerating my obsession with poetry and poems. Thanks to my wiener dogs, Mustard and Ketchup, for listening to me read all these poems aloud a billion times. Thank you to my father, who unknowingly has populated my poems for the last decade, and finally, thank you to my mother, whom I’ve never properly thanked.
Copyright 2020 by Victoria Chang
All rights reserved
Cover art: Phil Kovacevich
ISBN: 978-1-55659-574-5
eISBN: 978-1-61932-218-9
Support Copper Canyon Press:
If you have enjoyed this title, please consider supporting Copper Canyon Press and our dedication to bringing the work of emerging, established, and world-renowned poets to an expanding audience through e-books:
www.coppercanyonpress.org/pages/donation.asp
Contact Copper Canyon Press:
To contact us with feedback about this title send an e-mail to:
[email protected]
Lannan Literary Selections
For two decades Lannan Foundation has supported the publication and distribution of exceptional literary works. Copper Canyon Press gratefully acknowledges their support.
LANNAN LITERARY SELECTIONS 2020
Mark Bibbins, 13th Balloon
Victoria Chang, Obit
Leila Chatti, Deluge
Philip Metres, Shrapnel Maps
Natalie Shapero, Popular Longing
RECENT LANNAN LITERARY SELECTIONS FROM COPPER CANYON PRESS
Sherwin Bitsui, Dissolve
Jericho Brown, The Tradition
John Freeman, Maps
Jenny George, The Dream of Reason
Ha Jin, A Distant Center
Deborah Landau, Soft Targets
Maurice Manning, One Man’s Dark
Rachel McKibbens, blud
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Oceanic
Camille Rankine, Incorrect Merciful Impulses
Paisley Rekdal, Nightingale
Natalie Scenters-Zapico, Lima :: Limón
Frank Stanford, What About This: Collected Poems of Frank Stanford
Ocean Vuong, Night Sky with Exit Wounds
C.D. Wright, Casting Deep Shade
Javier Zamora, Unaccompanied
Matthew Zapruder, Father’s Day
Ghassan Zaqtan (translated by Fady Joudah), The Silence That Remains
Poetry is vital to language and living. Since 1972, Copper Canyon Press has published extraordinary poetry from around the world to engage the imaginations and intellects of readers, writers, book sellers, librarians, teachers, students, and donors.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MAJOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:
Anonymous
Jill Baker and Jeffrey Bishop
Anne and Geoffrey Barker
Donna and Matthew Bellew
John Branch
Diana Broze
John R. Cahill
The Currie Family Fund
Laurie and Oskar Eustis
Saramel and Austin Evans
Mimi Gardner Gates
Gull Industries Inc. on behalf of William True
The Trust of Warren A. Gummow
Carolyn and Robert Hedin
Bruce Kahn
Phil Kovacevich and Eric Wechsler
Lakeside Industries Inc.
on behalf of Jeanne Marie Lee
Maureen Lee and Mark Busto
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UNDERWRITING
COPPER CANYON PRESS TITLES,
PLEASE CALL 360-385-4925 EXT. 103
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MAJOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:
Peter Lewis
Ellie Mathews and Carl Youngmann as The North Press
Larry Mawby
Hank Meijer
Jack Nicholson
Petunia Charitable Fund and adviser Elizabeth Hebert
Gay Phinny
Suzie Rapp and Mark Hamilton
Adam and Lynn Rauch
Emily and Dan Raymond
Jill and Bill Ruckelshaus
Cynthia Sears
Kim and Jeff Seely
Randy and Joanie Woods
Barbara and Charles Wright
Caleb Young as C. Young Creative
The dedicated interns and faithful volunteers
of Copper Canyon Press
The Chinese character for poetry is made up of two parts: “word” and “temple.” It also serves as press-mark for Copper Canyon Press.
Poetry is vital to language and living. Since 1972, Copper Canyon Press has published extraordinary poetry from around the world to engage the imaginations and intellects of readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, teachers, students, and donors.
Obit Page 5