“By the time the apocalypse began, the world had already ended,” reads the first poem in “The World Keeps Ending and the World Goes On,” released Nov. 1. Franny Choi’s third poetry collection starts with catastrophe unfurling with cyclical multiplicity: “It ended, and another ending world spun in its place.”

While Choi’s past work has often tracked the crossroads of technology and identity, Choi’s most recent book introduces apocalypse as a chemical catalyst, fueling her interrogations of what it means to witness the world’s incessant sequence of catastrophe. Maintaining a textured voice throughout the book, Choi’s language is ridged with lyrical clarity and rhythmic intuition, evincing the blistering specificity of a poet foraging for the right words within the curves of history and humanity.

As such, time is a fickle thing for Choi, who traverses, manipulates and experiments with it in her poetics. More than offering a circular view of apocalypse, temporality wrangles her language, molding linear time into an agent of contemplation. “If you speed on ahead, earth forbid, I’ll know. I knew,” writes Choi in an address to her mother in “Grief Is a Thing with Tense Issues.” The poem grapples with “grieving in the future tense” and “anticipatory feelings toward the past” as dimensions of mourning, propelling sentiment beyond the confines of the present.

Beyond reconfiguring the contours of time, Choi also redefines the way it is conceptualized and labeled. In “Science Fiction Poetry,” the language of a catastrophic future is infiltrated by descriptions of an undeniably concurrent world: “Dystopia of billionaires racing giddy to space/ Dystopia $800 a month but the debt stays the same,” she writes, reflecting on the familiar terrors of modern society. Capitalism, politics and the cruelties of bureaucracy conjoin to give fiction a run for its money as Choi drives hard into the poem’s chant-like tirade on the destructive absurdities of contemporary society.

In a way, the outlook appears unimaginably bleak, particularly when it feels like apocalypse is the thread that both breaks the world apart and connects it together. As Choi weaves the threads of the most disastrous tribulations in recent global memory together — the pandemic, wars and calamities — the reader is drawn thunderously into her musings, able to stitch a thread from the collection to their own experiences. Choi’s intentionality thus seeps through her work in ways both large and small, with each read and reread imparting a strengthened sense of connection to its audience.

Yet, despite the collection’s topical resonance, Choi posits the fact that apocalypse is not experienced uniformly — for those in marginalized communities, it has approached in ever-rotating waves across time. Within her ponderings on tragedies both old and new, she plunges into the histories of her Korean heritage, writing earnestly about imperialism, the Korean War and the diasporic experience. Along with examinations on America’s past and present grapplings with racism, Choi’s alignment of reality and apocalypse becomes ever-clearer with somber lucidity: World-ending calamity reverberates across memory for many marginalized people, forging the looming figure of intergenerational trauma.

The contents of “The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On” at times feel insurmountably devastating, cleaving to the heart with a heavy hand. Yet, it simultaneously recovers cautious optimism from its lyrical lamentations. In “With Mouths and Mushrooms, the Earth Will Accept Our Apology,” Choi considers the self-rehabilitation of the natural world in the face of human-driven wreckage, while “Dispatches from a Future Great-Great-Granddaughter” is an epistolary transmission to the past marked with tentative hope.

“Protest Poem” emerges fiercely at the anthology’s tense terminus. Equal parts furious and hopeful, it acknowledges the limitations of language in eliciting change: “So: this isn’t/ a sentence./ It’s a sound./ It’s a blade, spinning,” she writes. For Choi, words may not be enough, so she calls on her readers to refashion their rage in search of a better world. In “The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On,” the apocalypse is not an unconquerable end, but perhaps an opportunity to believe in a reimagined future.

If the title sounds familiar, that’s because the titular poem of those collection was published in Poetry Magazine December 2019 issue. That said, I was not familiar with Franny Choi’s poetry before picking up this book. I chose it based on the title alone because I think that the idea of constantly feeling like the world is ending but then carrying on is something we can all relate to. It felt like words I’d spoken myself. My kiddo likes to ask me how it feels to live through big life changing events every time something happens (another school shooting, pandemic, war, racial injustice and protests, political attacks on basic human rights for marginalized people) and I always tell her that the world has been ending my entire life. I was her age when the shooting in Columbine happened, a little older for 9/11, and there’s a different outbreak every other year. Certain lawmakers and special interest groups have been working hard at erasing social progress for years. How do you know so much about such and such, she’ll ask. And I’ll respond, because it’s not a new fight.

Every once in a while I read a book that makes me want to go back and read every word the author has ever written. This is one such book. I don’t usually read collections of poetry in order, or even in full, but this one is something else. Choi covers a lot of hard hitting themes in ways that don’t make you feel like you’ve read these poems before. Lots of people write about things like war and race and social justice, but not everyone gets it right. There’s also the idea of where one fits in and togetherness strung throughout. Who are we? Who am I?

Lord, I confess I want the clarity of catastrophe but
not the catastrophe.
Like everyone else, I want a storm I can dance in.
I want an excuse to change my life
Catastrophe is Next to Godliness

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. Poetry can be difficult to rate because it doesn’t follow the same structural and grammatical rules as novels. There is no plot to follow, no twists to surprise you. So I rate poetry based on how I feel when I’m finished and how often I find myself thinking about it during and going forward. Topics are both relatable and timely. I truly enjoyed this collection.

This just didn't hit for me. Poetry is so personal that it's hard to say it's bad, it just didn't connect for me personally. There were some sections that were phenomenal but most of it felt difficult to get through.

WEDNESDAYS WITH DENISE

Franny Choi’s The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On was published yesterday. The book engages with the perilous now—the climate crisis, political cruelty, marginalization—while reaching back in time (the comfort women of World War II, for example) to speculations of the future. Choi’s vision is wide-eyed, giving us one horrific apocalyptic gesture at a time, rather than a big “end of the world” moment. They point out generations who have already lived through their own apocalypse in such poems as “Upon Learning That Some Korean War Refugees Used Partially Detonated Napalm Canisters as Fuel.” When reading Choi’s book I was reminded of Danielle Moodie aka @DeeTwoCents. In her post “Thoughts this morning on the end of the world,” she says “This is actually the worst part…I gotta work through this shit?”

https://twitter.com/DeeTwoCents/status/1578404945874886657?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

While Danielle Moodie is darkly funny, Franny Choi writes with reverence and tenderness as demonstrated in these lines: We knew the end was/coming here./We knew it/and like idiots—like perfect idiots—/we stayed.

The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On is a wise and engaging collection. You can read Choi’s title poem here:

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/151513/the-world-keeps-ending-and-the-world-goes-on

Congratulations, Franny!

Thank you to the publisher Ecco and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Franny Choi book that I read. I follow her on Twitter and have seen plenty of her previous poetry shared online. I was immediately drawn to her work. After reading this poetry collection, I was left stunned and speechless. This book left me thinking a lot about our past, present, and future. Her poems are complex and mesmerizing. Although I’ve read the book once, I will definitely be re-reading it again and again. There was a lot to unpack and ponder while reading her poetry collection. Franny Choi has a way with words that will leave you wanting more from her.

In this original and powerful collection, Choi sheds light on the meaning of "the end of the world" from the perspectives of different marginalized communities throughout history. She writes about Korean comfort women during World War II, those who perished after the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, indigenous people who lost their lands to Columbus, Asian women who continue to be fetishized, and so much more.

I appreciate Choi's poems about revisiting historical events and examining how these incidents devastate different communities; a new beginning for Americans often means a gruesome ending for others. I was going to put a list of stand-out poems from the collection, but then realized it's basically every single one from the book. THE WORLD is a phenomenal poetry collection highlighting the importance of interpreting historical tragedies and emphasizing our responsibilities to the larger community.

A beautiful, haunting work of poetry that will follow you long after you devour the last page. My personal favorite was "Science Fiction Poetry", a poem detailing the different meanings of the dystopia today. I would (and already have) recommended this collection to a friend, with the caveat that they need to read Franny Choi's The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On at a point where they can sit and think for a while after. Beautiful work.

From all points in time, this collection of poetry highlights apocalyptic moments in time and history. From the smallest scale to the widest, this narrative takes you along as Choi addresses topics of climate change, WWII, marginalized communities and more.

This was my first time reading anything by Choi and the first poetry collection I've read in a while. The work was so well written and thought provoking and I can't recommend it enough.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set around past, present, and future apocalyptic moments, this poetry collection explores dystopian themes and fear. But even more, these poems explore togetherness, strength, responsibility, and hope when everything feels hopeless. This is exactly the kind of poetry that I feel like I really need right now, and it completely delivers on finding hope and clarity in moments of great fear. It made me want to drop what I'm doing and read every word Franny Choi has ever written!

Franny Choi is a master of writing lines that just hit. Even though her poems are experimental and intelligent, I recommend her writing as a good place to start for new-to-poetry readers because it is so interesting and definitely will not bore you.

This collection felt more rooted and mature than her previous writing. However, I will admit to liking Soft Science better because it had a playfulness and a brightness even when dealing with serious topics that this collection lacked. At times I felt like this collection was a bit heavy and even repetitive.

Having said that, I still loved it. Especially the earlier poems in the book. Stunning.

I have admired this author's work for years now after having read for the SFPA's Elgin awards, where her collection Soft Science won the Elgin award in 2020 in the full length category, and her chapbook Death by Sex Machine was nominated for the 2019 award. That award is given for speculative poetry books but this collection is more on the mainstream side. This new book is a product of the time of pandemic but it also mines through history going back decades.

The things I like in her work are the way her words slash almost recklessly, the willingness to take big chances, and the balance between form and content that permeates all her works. She works with high stakes subjects, not the safe and restrained. I enjoyed this feeling of being able to perceive through her senses in her work. The diction may be casual but the ideas are not slack. The author comes from a time where poetry slams were a relevant phenomenon and is tuned to the spoken word. Her poems frequently feature questions of identity and of history both personal and communal. There are howls of pain and deep soul-shaking anger whether caused by outrages the speaker of the poem recalls, by historical crimes or sorrows.

In the Notes section at the end of this book she calls out many influences that have inspired a poem or contributed to it. These are not only other poems but also fictional works, visual works, other works of art, and personal contacts.

I received this advance reading copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Who knew a book about apocalypse could be so beautiful, with writing that is relevant, thoughtful, and will stick with you long after you finished reading. Although some of the poetry went a bit over my head and certain parts were a bit confusing, it made me think harder and gave me new perspective. A book that I already want to reread to see what I will discover this time, Highly recommend.

Franny Choi accomplished something HUGE here. Choi masterfully examines the complexity of humanity, climate anxieties, race, and trauma while finding the good and joy amongst the chaos and pain. This collection is truly seamless and I cannot stop thinking about it.

Thank you again to Ecco Publishing and Net Galley for the Digital ARK

Franny Choi's new collection of poetry, The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On, reminds me of the specific genre of poetry and literature created during the lockdown portion of the COVID pandemic. Describing the feeling of isolation and disconnection that seemed to be prevalent during that period, Choi's poems evoke the dread and horror of the dystopian future we had once only imagined and of which we now seemed to find ourselves firmly in the midst. I was even reminded of a bygone era (just over two years ago) when I would not have been familiar with a capitalized "Zoom" in a sentence, and what an innocent (ignorant?) time that was. I have read this poet's work before, and own copies of her other books. As a reader enamored of her talent and therefore predisposed to appreciate this new volume, I still have to admit that this is my favorite work of hers yet. Choi is getting better and better all the time, and I cannot recommend this new book heartily enough.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This poetry collection was beautiful though felt a bit disjointed at some points throughout. The “storyline” felt a bit incomplete at points. Important topics overall.

The author covers a great many topics. It is not a book to be read lightly, as it will most definitely make you think. I highly recommend it.

4.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection both based on the poems individually as well as a whole. Choi grapples with challenging topics throughout, and does so incredibly masterfully. Not a single poem felt contrived or derivative, and every line was fresh, visceral and unique.

Her approach to rhythm, flow and content is utterly captivating and wildly brilliant. I’ve never read a poetry collection quite like this, but I’m excited to try more of her work.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found the poetry timely, beautiful, and raw. It was so emotional that I got about halfway through the volume before I had to take a break. For everyone who has lived through the past few years and suffered some hardship as a result, this poetry collection puts that pain into words beautifully.

I can see selecting poems from this volume to discuss with my high school students. I enjoy looking for modern poetry written by a variety of authors. These poems are so powerful that even the most reluctant readers would have something to discuss.

The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On
To be released 1 Nov 2022
Review from NetGalley

Draw pictures with nails, pins, and other blunt objects, but dance around the outlines in water color, cotton, and care. This is how I felt about reading Fanny Choi’s forthcoming book, The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On. There is a contrast of despair or “Doom”, and yet a pragmatic grit towards hope and one’s place in it, discovering how “I Learned I was Beautiful.” The perfect example of this contrast is the poem in the collection, “Science Fiction Poetry.”

Choi is a quiet fighter, but she doesn’t mince words. She’s no bully, but her pulpit is not subtle. Four poems, all titled “Upon Learning that Some Korean War Refugees Used Partially Detonated Napalm Canisters as Cooking Fuel” messed me up. Reality bites, yet the resourcefulness demonstrates a hope, a boxy for survival inspire of the odds. She writes with splinters and then sands them down. She exposes wires, plays with them, but lets the current charge her forward. And she pats people on the back for their sincerity.

Its a quick read and very coherent piece. I was never left thinking of one particular poem, and few lines really stuck out, but the work itself leaves an impression and invites me to check out her other poems. As an aspiring poet, I am impressed by the connection between words that leave scars, make no sense, and yet make perfect sense and somehow make tough calluses.

As a white male who grew up among a number of 2nd generation Korean friends, I am extremely challenged by this text, yet seem quite at home even though I will never identify. I see childhood friends in her imagery, and I see these friends as adults letting hope win. “Who Died and Made You American” is a standout, not just in the punchy title, but as a thread for the overall work. Choi’s vulnerability and sincerity is translatable and obligates empathy, to which I am grateful, even if I must take a few splinters, read as though on a bed of pins, or let napalm be the tool of survival.

Wow. This book of poetry about knocked me over. At once relatable and so unique to the poet, this collection is my favorite of the year so far. Each poem is distinct and moving, particularly in this moment when we’ve been living through nearly three years of a pandemic. I’m new to Franny Choi but can’t wait to read her other works now.