A Touch of Frost

Published June 13, 2010
Category: Features

Zenobia Frost writes poetry in cemeteries, articles at a desk in a backyard rainforest, and to-do lists on receipts, bits of paper, the back of her hand, and flatmates’ spare bits of skin. She writes, edits, and types for a living, and occasionally orchestrates cabaret events that are really an excuse to drink tea. Her work has appeared in Stylus, Mascara, Small Packages, Burdock (USA), Rave Magazine, Famous Reporter, and Voiceworks, and she has performed at Queensland’s and Tasmania’s poetry festivals, as well as around Australia with the Queensland Touring Poets Program. Her debut collection, The Voyage, was published by SweetWater Press in 2009.

1. When were you first bitten by the poetry bug?

Mum is very proud of her copy of my first poem, written at age 5 or 6. It went like this:

Love Your Pets

Hot-cross bun.

Half-past one.

Silly billy,

I will sit on you.

Hm. Well. No, I couldn’t explain that one even if you asked. The poetry bug really bit me in my early teen years. An inspiring teacher liked my writing and urged me to learn more about poetry and enter competitions. I have bulging folders full of the fantastic teenage tripe I wrote in high school; I wrote a lot and, hopefully, honed the craft a little bit—at least honed it away from Love Your Pets.

2. Which is your favourite poetic form?
I enjoy writing blank verse, and applying it loosely to sonnet-ish forms and terzanelles. I like the way form can direct, rather than constrain a poem—it can be like a puzzle. I also write free verse. Both are challenging; both are rewarding.

3. Which famous poet would you most like to be stranded on a desert island with?

Oh, gosh. I’m not good at these questions. I’d give you a different answer every two minutes. Is David Bowie poet enough? I want to take him. We’d have a great time. I could choose the love child descended from numerous ‘page poets’ I love, but I imagine that would be cheating even than just taking Mr Bowie.

4. I was fortunate enough to have been at the launch of your fantastic chapbook, The Voyage, last year. Have you got another collection in the works?

I was glad you could be there; it was such a lovely night. I’m presently working on a collection of poems in conversation with the inhabitants of Toowong Cemetery. This has led to me writing a number of poems about history, mortality, death, decomposition, roadkill, ghosts, and a variety of other cheery topics. It won’t be a completely morbid collection, though, I promise. There are, I hope, moments of warmth and humour, and lots of life.

5. What’s your favourite punctuation mark and why?

Semicolons are downright sexy. Let’s be honest. What a delicious little mark; I love the way they seduce clauses together. Ahem. Also, I have flings with those versatile, playful em-dashes. I imagine you are remembering the punctuation cupcakes from the launch of The Voyage—all 99 of them.

6. What do you write your poetry in/on? Do you carry a notebook everywhere you go?

I have a huge pile of notebooks, and which one I carry depends on where I’m going and how big my bag is. Lots of notes and observations go in the ol’ Moleskin diary. Graveyard poems go in one specific notebook, when I’m drafting. When the good typewriter has ink, I’ll use that—I like being rewarded with the ‘ding’ at the end of the line. Very often, though, the story’s boring; I usually edit and finish pieces on the computer. I’ve learnt to back things up on multiple USBs, believe me.

7. You regularly participate in poetry readings. How important is performance to you?

I enjoy performing immensely, but I’m definitely a page poet at heart. Performing (and listening) is a great way to experiment with poetry, connect with other poets, and get out of the office/house/cemetery. Writing is very solitary, so I most enjoy readings for the socialising and networking. It must be said, though, that I get a real buzz from reading, and find that sometimes performance can make me look at a poem in a completely different light.

8. What do you most like to write about?

Finding the magical in the mundane. Also, strange animals (the ones that usually don’t get a lot of air time, like bugs).

9. Who is your greatest literary influence?

Eep! Another tricky one. I’d have to say the mentors and friends right here in Brisbane who supported me through my formative years as a poet (and who continue to support me).

10. Do you have a personal motto?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s motto was “Seize the day…because tomorrow you might be dead.” Perhaps that is suitable considering my current project. Really, though, I’d never be able to stick to one motto. I just keep my eyes peeled for moments of magic or madness in everyday life.

11. Can you tell us a bit about The Ruby Fizz Society for Superior People? How superior must one be to join?

As superior as you believe you are or want to be; The RFS embraces the fun and silliness of putting on airs and eating fancy cakes. I started the society with the goal of bringing different art forms together in a relaxed environment. I really wanted to hold events that felt like parties, rather than readings or performances where the audience would sit, unmoving, for the duration. The events I’ve held so far have been tremendous fun, and have featured some amazing local and interstate talents. I only wish I had the time to hold more!

12. What’s the best thing about being Zenobia Frost?

Being named after a warrior queen, being blessed with ridiculously good luck, living in the loveliest Queenslander, and being surrounded by gorgeous, creative people.

Rat – Zenobia Frost

I am the cloaked detective.

I am the silent choir. I am the top

of the slush pile.

I am sleeping inside your pocket.

I am the gatherer of secrets

in my nest of old headlines.

I am Icarus, scaling the maze

before flight and I am Houdini,

with supple spine. I am a mathematician;

I can multiply. I am looking to master

mischief’s map, whatever it is