Published in Overland Issue 251 Winter 2023 · Poetry Tired of feeling guilty, all the time Luoyang Chen the jumpers I lent never find their way back barely rehearsed, cold overwhelmed I wasn’t ready for the day has become tight trying to force open a poem the airtime in my mind: vilify, vilify, vilify can’t control clenching jaw Luoyang Chen Luoyang Chen was born and raised in a small town in Fujian, China, and currently resides on Wongatha Country. Luoyang is the author of a poetry collection, Flow (Red River, 2023), which is allegedly “very funny”. They are interested in the lyric “I”, 自然, “stasis in darkness”, language, positionality, and “O”. More by Luoyang Chen › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 5 November 2025 · Poetry Force posture agreement Miroslav Sandev The men of Darwin have all taken their rottweilers / out for a walk at the same time. / For our protection. Like Pine Gap: / all those big white eyes that scan / the darkening horizon. / The eyes stay woke, so that we may sleep. / Or so they say. 1 22 August 202522 August 2025 · Poetry starmight K.A Ren Wyld Ending genocide and apartheid is the story. Palestinian liberation is the story. / Aboriginal rights is the story. Truth, justice, treaties and land back is the story. / Global Indigenous peoples’ solidarity and joy is the story. Kinship is the story.
