Togetherness

Togetherness is a debut poetry collection by Wo Chan that recounts stories from their queer childhood and adolescence, culminating in a deportation battle against the State. It combines monologue, lyric descants, and document to stage a vibrant and daring performance in which drag is formalism and formalism is drag, at once campy and sincere, queer, tender, and winking.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 03 November 2022
Publisher: Nightboat Books

Winner of the 2023 Publishing Triangle Award for Trans and Gender-Variant Literature


Finalist for the Firecracker Award for Poetry!




A captivating debut poetry collection by non-binary poet and drag performer Wo Chan, titled Togetherness, delves into the rich tapestry of their queer childhood and adolescence. Through a series of captivating narratives, Chan recounts their experiences growing up in a family's Chinese restaurant, culminating in a fierce deportation battle against the State. This poetic journey weaves together monologues, soaring lyric descants, and documentary elements, taking on the roles of apostrophe, biography, and soulful plaint. Togetherness presents a vibrant and daring performance, where drag becomes formalism and formalism becomes drag—a fusion of campiness and sincerity, queerness and tenderness, and a playful wink. Chan's words dance on the pages, capturing the essence of their unique identity and the complexities of their experiences. This collection is a testament to the power of poetry to transcend boundaries and ignite empathy, offering a glimpse into the life and artistry of Wo Chan.

Weight: 150g
Dimension: 152 x 227 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781643621449