Interview with Cecil Choi
Cecil Choi
Cecil Choi (they/he) is a queer and trans writer, musician, and game developer from California. Their work has been previously published in The Maine Review. They are currently studying game design and electronic music at UC Santa Cruz. Their website can be found at www.ceec.space.
Manahil: This is Canthius’ tenth issue, and the first for which we have a guest editor, Sanna Wani. Whether you’ve been a long-time reader of Canthius or are just getting introduced us, how did you come to decide what pieces you wanted to share with the magazine?
Cecil: I started looking for places to submit to when I had a huge burst of creative inspiration last year and ended up with more pieces that I knew what to do with. I’m a new reader of Canthius and really admire its commitment to centering voices of marginalized genders. My poem “101” is an exploration of the way my identity as a nonbinary trans man shapes and complicates my attraction to men, so this seemed like the perfect place to share my perspective.
Manahil: I find writing often emerges from a conversation. What conversation is happening in your work?
Cecil: That definitely resonates with me. I usually find myself writing when there is too much to say and no opportunity to be heard. This poem came from the need to say, “I want to remember this forever, don’t you?” It’s a lonely conversation; the response is uncertain or absent altogether. While writing, I couldn’t help but try to immortalize the peripheral details of this ostensibly fleeting moment. So it’s full of references that will likely never be understood by anyone, even the person I’m writing for. Ultimately, I’m writing to an imaginary version of this person—an idealized version, someone who holds the same kind of sentimentality towards these details I can’t forget.
Manahil: In your poem, “101,” you ask, “where else / are you finding [poetry] these days?” I’d like to turn that question to you — in this very moment, where are you finding poetry?
Cecil: I guess I’m finding poetry in the same way I described in this poem—through the appreciation of every fulfilling moment, even if it’s temporary, especially if it’s temporary, because it’s temporary. I don’t think it’s cheesy or pretentious to look for beauty in mundane things. That’s where it lives.
Manahil: What is something you’re working on that you’d like to share!
Cecil: I’m going to be working on quite a few games this school year! I have no idea what they will be and I’m very excited to find out. You can keep up on my itch page, ceec.itch.io.
Manahil: In closing, what is a poem, story, painting, chapbook, or book you would like to recommend others read?
Cecil: I’d love to recommend Erin Kong’s poetry collection korean mourning rituals. It’s this author’s first publication and I can’t wait to see more of their work.