What We Lost in the Swamp

Book excerpt: How do you untangle the real you from the curated you? In this introspective yet whimsical collection, poet Grant Chemidlin takes readers into the thicket of self-discovery. **Finalist for Lambda Literary Award - Gay Poetry What We Lost in the Swamp is a lush and vibrant collection of poems that examines the many manifestations of green: nature, inexperience, jealousy, burgeoning love, and exploring sexuality. It is a slow unfurling. It is a love letter to growth, to rediscovery, to finally learning how to speak the truth. These astonishing poems ask the reader: Who do you want to be in this world? How do you want to build a life? This is not a coming out. This is a coming in to one’s truest self. Find out why this is one of TikTok's most viral poetry books.