I'm Not a Kung Fu Badass is John's first poetry chapbook, 30 poems exploring the issues and forces that shaped him -- love, race, mental health, and art. Often told from the viewpoint of a Chinese-American longing for acceptance, I'm Not a Kung Fu Badass offers an engaging journey thanks to John's poignant storytelling, resonant metaphors, and unguarded sincerity. Examples below.

64 Colors

innocence.
pure human goodness.

without a defender,
a mentor,
or artistic expression,
the hopeful idealism
of a 64-color childhood
dims to gray
one broken crayon
at a time.

"dash" American

When I was born
my family lived
above a laundry.
Our last name, Lee,
was just like Mr. Lee,
a ridiculous character
in a Calgon commercial.

Back then,
people like me
were labeled "Chinese."
No one bothered adding
"-American" at the end.

Maybe if they had,
more people
would have treated us
like we belonged.

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• Literature & FictionPoetry & DramaPoetryAmerican
• Literature & FictionWorld LiteratureUnited StatesAsian American & Pacific Islander
• Biography & True Accounts

• Publication Date: January 18, 2021
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 53 Pages
• File Size: 37 KB