When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities

“When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities” (2017) was written by the contemporary Chinese American poet Chen Chen and published in his debut collection of the same name. The poem lists all of the things the speaker, presumably Chen himself, aspires to be: a good friend, son, and partner. The poem examines the nuances of Chen’s intersectional identity, exposing how race, gender, and sexuality alter each of his personal relationships.

The majority of Chen’s poetry is thematically concerned with identity politics. His poems are quick-witted and sharp, unpacking past traumas to arrive at new and surprising conclusions. The influence of poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Franny Choi, and Monica Sok are apparent within much of Chen’s work. His poems are conversational like Ginsberg’s and inquisitive like Choi’s and Sok’s, daring to confront both personal and universal struggles on the page. Chen’s work makes readers acutely aware of their humanity through his own vulnerable, poetic revelations. Chen’s work is simultaneously compassionate and biting, making it stand out within the contemporary poetic cannon.

Poet Biography

Chinese American poet Chen Chen was born in Xiamen, China on 9 March 1989. He grew up in Massachusetts after immigrating to the United States with his parents.