The Voyage

The Voyage, revisited

/ Zenobia Frost / Leave a comment

In 2009, SweetWater Press published my first chapbook, The Voyage. Bettina Marson (who designed the cover of Salt and Bone, too) illustrated the booklet, and we launched it at Metro Arts on my 20th birthday. The Voyage is out of print now, so I thought it might be fun to have a digital copy — or, at least, highlights — online. I’ll roll 10 poems out on tumblr, with a table of contents here.

Sky Fishing by Bettina Marson

Poems reprinted with gratitude to SweetWater Press. By way of a writing exercise to get me into the new year, I’ve given these ones a gentle edit. (I’ve excluded poems that found their way into Salt and Bone or were too, er, of-their-time.) I hope you enjoy The Voyage as a digital chapbook.

The Voyage

From the Ferry, Looking Out
Stalking the Moon/Skyfishing
Fiji Five
Glass to Sea Junk: A Sacrifice
How Do You Do, Tuatara?
Cicada Duet
Onwiththings
Evolution
18 Warrengate Road
Without You

Hurrah!

/ Zenobia Frost / 4 Comments

I’m fairly sure yesterday was the best birthday ever.

I had a wonderful time with Nerissa (as Madrigal Maladies) at SpeedPoets earlier in the day. Big thanks to Graham & Jules and the lovely crowd at The Alibi Room.

Cupcakes!

The launch at !Metro Arts in the evening was an absolute dream event. Somewhere between 80 and 100 friends and family came along (we lost count!), the book supply nearly sold out and the punctuative cupcakes were gone in a snap.

Thank you to:

  • Kim and the team at !Metro Arts
  • Ross and Jeff at SweetWater Press
  • Bettina Walsh, artist extraordinaire
  • The writing circle that shall remain unnamed
  • Tiara, our fabulous Merch Girl
  • Rob Morris, grooviest poet in Brisbane and a gent with excellent taste in shoes (thank you, thank you, thank you; they fit perfectly)
  • James Sherlock, jazz-guitar maestro
  • The (other) Frosts for supplying a dozen excellent bottles of wine
  • Caitie for a fine day of baking fun
  • Everyone else involved with catering: Mum, Tina & Jerome, and the family members who helped out
  • Dad, whom I know would have loved to have been there; your messages from afar were much appreciated (and don’t worry, there’s a video!)
  • All the gorgeous people who came along or sent messages of support, especially those old friends who came out of the woodwork to say hullo
  • The crazy ladies and gents who came along to The Pancake Manor (etc.) after the launch, and the waitress who put extra blueberries on our pancakes
  • Those who took photos or video (I look forward to seeing them!)

launch

I had a great time, I couldn’t be happier with the book, and I hope you all enjoy The Voyage (and are amused by my inscriptions, if you had your copy signed).

I’m pleasantly tired today, and intend to spend the rest of the afternoon in my pyjamas, probably watching The Hunger.

With love,
Zenobia

Speedies & The Voyage

/ Zenobia Frost / 1 Comment

Sunday May 3

SpeedPoets is back for Round 3 of 2009! Be there as Brisbane’s longest running spoken word/poetry event takes over The Alibi Room (720 Brunswick St. New Farm) on Sunday May 3 from 2:00pm – 5:00pm. The May event features the delicate beauty of Ichabod’s Crane: http://www.myspace.com/ichabodscranemusic. This Brisbane ensemble conjures the sounds of horses being ridden on sand and snake tails speeding beneath gumboots…music to be shipwrecked to!

And to celebrate the pending launch of her debut collection ‘Voyage’, Zenobia Frost will perform a short feature set with a special appearance from Madrigal Maladies, her collaboration with Nerissa Rowan, and if that’s not enough for you, winner of The Dream Ain’t Broken Chapbook Competition, Nicola Scholes will also perform a short feature set, showcasing poems from her forthcoming collection.

As always there will also be live sounds from the SpeedPoets poetic riff generator Sheish Money, giveaways, free zines and two rounds of Open Mic. Entry is a gold coin… This is a gig not to be missed!

SpeedPoets, Sunday May 3 @ The Alibi Room, 720 Brunswick St. New Farm. 2:00pm – 5:00pm.

then get along to…

The launch of The Voyage, a poetry chapbook concerning the adventures of Zenobia Frost, with illuminations by Bettina Walsh.

Time: 7:00pm
!Metro Arts Basement
109 Edward Street, Brisbane
Featuring James Sherlock and Rob Morris
$5 entry / free drinks and nibblies
https://zenobiafrost.wordpress.com/

Presented by SweetWater Press

The Voyage launches this weekend

/ Zenobia Frost / Leave a comment

I have a groovy little book in my hot little hands.

Jeffrey Harpeng says, on the blurb, “The poetry of The Voyage has both the resignation of the sage, and the wit and passion of the articulate romantic. Frost hopes lovingly against all odds and oddities.” (Thanks, Jeff!) And, of course, Bettina’s art brings the chapbook to life.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday for a rather magnificent little party. I shall be baking all weekend; expect there to be sprinkles in my hair. Again.

Don’t forget James Sherlock will be providing jazz grooves and Rob Morris will be bringing further tales from the rock-n-roll after-life. Not to be missed!

With affection,
Zenobia
x o x

The Voyage
book launch
7pm, 3rd May
!Metro Arts, 109 Edward St, Brisbane

The Voyage, featuring James Sherlock

/ Zenobia Frost / 4 Comments

As close to a media release as we’ll get:

The Voyage, the debut collection from local poet, Zenobia Frost, will be launched by SweetWater Press on the 3rd of May. Zenobia has won prizes for the poems written during her school years, and more recently has had work published in Going Down Swinging, Small Packages, Stylus, Mascara and Voiceworks. This first collection somehow combines undertones of both The Ancient Mariner and The Hunting of the Snark, while remaining determinedly in her own voice.

The volume is illuminated by Bettina Walsh’s lively drawings.

Zenobia has been described by fans as “a poetic adventurer, hat fetishist and protector of apostrophes who works with the Queensland Poetry Festival and coordinates The Ruby Fizz Society, a light-hearted opportunity to indulge in fine food, fine arts and high-class frivolity”.

Guitarist James Sherlock will be providing jazz grooves, cupcakes will be sprouting up everywhere, and libations will be quaffed during the evening, beginning at 7.00pm, in the !Metro Arts Basement, 109 Edward Street, Brisbane.

Take a look at this!!

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I’m extraordinarily pleased to say that local artist Bettina Walsh has (as expected) come up with the goods when it comes to glorious cover art. Here’s one of the cover options for The Voyage, my chapbook due out in April (SweetWater Press):

the_night_sea_by_faelenath

(Click the image to head to her DeviantART account.)

Watch this space!