Pee is for Prejudice
by Zorina Exie Frey
1. Circa 2015
My coworkers and I Uber to happy hour in Coral Gables.
Nobody and everybody’s hood.
Cuban. Haitian. Turkish.
Mexican. Arab. European.
African? American?—me.
Tapas chased down with White Russians & reggaeton beats.
Slurred speech accompanies laughter & selfies.
Bar hopping adventure.
Blonde hair & Blue eyes strides
into America’s alley to pee with no tissue.
I, with a full bladder lookout
for the nearest proper public facilities.
2. Circa 2005
My coworker and I drive to a garage party in Niles, Michigan.
White people playing rap music
Cheers’ing beer bottles
Pabst Blue Ribbon testosterone
surveys Africa’s rolling plains.
Their eyes hunt my gazelle legs, my caramel-continent skin,
my sand-kissed lips, my
inner-fight. The lioness considering…
Blue & grey eyes scowling
Move, bitch! Get out the way!
Ludacris booms through whitewashed speaker boxes.
My music betraying me.
It’s ok. You’re with me.
Now, I’m the white girl in her hood.
Walking me back to my hatchback
She relieves herself in shrubs.
America’s front yard, with no tissue.
3. Circa 1983
We played Luke, Han, Leia, and Godzilla.
Eric had the Millennium Falcon.
He lived further down my white block.
Far enough for me to ask to use his bathroom. He refused.
I can’t. My father says because you’re Black.
To which I replied with a swinging closed fist. A reflex.
Since it’s frowned upon for me to pee in a bush
I rode my Big Wheel home to relieve myself.
Eric’s father berates my momma on her doorstep
flexing white privilege, Eric had a bloody lip.
Look what your daughter did! He hissed.
My mother’s 1930s mentality kicked in.
She picked a twig to whip me.
A crime now. Legal when whites did it.
4. Circa 1980
My block occupies all white folks.
My friends, Mark & Amy live around the corner
playing Star Wars with baby dolls.
When I used their bathroom,
I wasn’t allowed to close the door.
They watched to see if I pee’d black.
When they found it to be yellow,
Mark wiped the toilet seat with white tissue
Erasing my existence.
5. Circa 1974
I live in between two different worlds.
One Black.
The other white.
My mother’s light-skinned melanin tells me
Yankee blood swims beneath the bedrock of our family river
where some people pee.
My coworkers and I Uber to happy hour in Coral Gables.
Nobody and everybody’s hood.
Cuban. Haitian. Turkish.
Mexican. Arab. European.
African? American?—me.
Tapas chased down with White Russians & reggaeton beats.
Slurred speech accompanies laughter & selfies.
Bar hopping adventure.
Blonde hair & Blue eyes strides
into America’s alley to pee with no tissue.
I, with a full bladder lookout
for the nearest proper public facilities.
2. Circa 2005
My coworker and I drive to a garage party in Niles, Michigan.
White people playing rap music
Cheers’ing beer bottles
Pabst Blue Ribbon testosterone
surveys Africa’s rolling plains.
Their eyes hunt my gazelle legs, my caramel-continent skin,
my sand-kissed lips, my
inner-fight. The lioness considering…
Blue & grey eyes scowling
Move, bitch! Get out the way!
Ludacris booms through whitewashed speaker boxes.
My music betraying me.
It’s ok. You’re with me.
Now, I’m the white girl in her hood.
Walking me back to my hatchback
She relieves herself in shrubs.
America’s front yard, with no tissue.
3. Circa 1983
We played Luke, Han, Leia, and Godzilla.
Eric had the Millennium Falcon.
He lived further down my white block.
Far enough for me to ask to use his bathroom. He refused.
I can’t. My father says because you’re Black.
To which I replied with a swinging closed fist. A reflex.
Since it’s frowned upon for me to pee in a bush
I rode my Big Wheel home to relieve myself.
Eric’s father berates my momma on her doorstep
flexing white privilege, Eric had a bloody lip.
Look what your daughter did! He hissed.
My mother’s 1930s mentality kicked in.
She picked a twig to whip me.
A crime now. Legal when whites did it.
4. Circa 1980
My block occupies all white folks.
My friends, Mark & Amy live around the corner
playing Star Wars with baby dolls.
When I used their bathroom,
I wasn’t allowed to close the door.
They watched to see if I pee’d black.
When they found it to be yellow,
Mark wiped the toilet seat with white tissue
Erasing my existence.
5. Circa 1974
I live in between two different worlds.
One Black.
The other white.
My mother’s light-skinned melanin tells me
Yankee blood swims beneath the bedrock of our family river
where some people pee.
Photo by Nsey Benajah on Unsplash
Zorina Exie Frey is a digital designer, educator, publishing content writer, and spoken word poet. Her writings are featured in Shondaland, Shoutout Miami, Chicken Soup for the Soul: I’m Speaking Now, and swamp pink. Zorina is the Poetry Editor for South 85 Journal and Editor-in-Chief of 45 Magazine Poetry Journal. She is a Palm Beach Poetry Festival Langston Hughes Fellow and Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Voices of Color Fellow. Her screenplay, Harley Quinn Origin received an honorable mention at the Birmingham Film Festival in the United Kingdom and she was a semi-finalist for the reality TV pilot Americas Next Great Author. She has presented her work at the National Association for Poetry Therapy Conference, The Maryland Writers’ Association 2022 Brain to Bookshelf Conference, and South Florida Writers Association. More at: https://zorina-frey.com.
A 2023 Pushcart Prize winner, Frey's poem can be found in Issue 25 of Glassworks. and in The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses 2023
Pee is for Pushcart Prize Winner: aN INTERVIEW WITH Zorina Exie Frey
BY Ellie Cameron, Allison D'Arienzo, & Sean Wolff
March 2024
|
Memory can serve as the closest thing to time-travel, offering us a glimpse at the past. The process of deciding what to use as inspiration can be difficult, and sometimes we find that our experiences are the product of larger societal structures. Zorina Exie Frey’s writings have been featured in notable publications such as Shondaland and Chicken Soup for the Soul: I’m Speaking Now. In addition to being a spoken word poet and the Editor-in-Chief of 45 Magazine Poetry Journal, she is a publishing content writer, a digital designer, and an educator. Her screenplay, Harley Quinn Origin received an honorable mention at the Birmingham Film Festival in the United Kingdom, and her poem “Pee is for Prejudice,” published in Glassworks Issue 25, recently won a Pushcart Prize. Zorina will be coming to Rowan University in the spring of 2024 to read her work and speak to Rowan’s Spoken Word Poetry class.
In this interview, Zorina discusses her journey as a writer and the unexpected moments of her career, the incorporation of identity and memory into her poetry, and her experiences on both sides of the publishing process. |
GM: Much of your poetry navigates racial identity and injustice. What do you want your readers to take away from these pieces in particular? How has poetry allowed you to dive into those themes, and how has it been more or less effective than other genres in doing so?
ZEF: It does, doesn’t it? It was never my intention. I’m just writing about memories that happen to rhyme sometimes. I want my readers to come away with an enlightened perspective. I believe if you dig deep enough, almost every personal experience is connected to a broader social discussion.
GM: Congratulations on your Pushcart Prize award for your poem "Pee is for Prejudice." In this poem, you discuss themes of racism and social injustice over a wide period of time from 2015 and going back as far as 1974. What made you choose to write about these particular moments in time, in this particular order, and are the varying gaps in years significant to your selection?
ZEF: Thank you for nominating me. “Pee is for Prejudice” is an amalgamation of different writing prompt responses and stories I’d tell at gatherings. I thought it interesting to find myself in such peculiar situations with co-workers from different states–something my “homegirls” would never be bold enough to do. While synthesizing memories as a kid, I realized all these stories shared a common theme. So, I decided to explore the significance of it all. Organizing by date just came naturally.
GM: Also in “Pee is for Prejudice”, you explore the issues with a very close up lens, focusing on intimate details rather than larger scenic moments. For example, you say “He lived further down my white block. / Far enough for me to ask to use his bathroom. He refused.” How does focusing on these small moments allow you to explore the issues with more nuance than a more generalized approach?
ZEF: I’m simply recalling a memory. When I do it that way, I discipline myself to look at the details. With this approach, the bigger picture simply writes itself. Some memories you never forget and are as clear as yesterday. For me, the process of writing poetry is like that. I’ve “time traveled” to that place I’m writing about. It could’ve been a prompt, an object, a scent…food–just like eating turkey and stuffing can “transport” one to a memorable Thanksgiving holiday…poetry can do that…appealing to the senses that way.
GM: Many beginning writers, especially beginning poets, explore the use of form and experiment with devices such as line breaks, headings, etc. in their writing without a full grasp of the impact it has on the writing. Are there any differences you look for between a writer using these devices in a methodical, experienced approach as opposed to a newer writer’s experimentation?
ZEF: Yes, the story. The poem must have meaning, and all those techniques we mentioned should contribute to the message. I’d ask my students why they chose that form. Sometimes, what they’re trying to articulate may require another method because writing is about finding the form or genre that will best deliver the message the writer wants to convey.
GM: You have over a decade of experiences as a writer, publisher, editor, and performer, including your poetry being recognized by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. How did that interaction come about?
ZEF: I had just discovered my voice as a poet, and I wrote a poem about “Clinton trying to get in where he fits in.” Sounds corny now–something I’d never submit today. I mailed it to Washington and thought nothing more until my mother called me and said, “Uhm, you have a letter from The White House.” Looking back, I can’t imagine how surreal of a moment that had to have been for my parents, who lived through Jim Crow.
GM: How has the experiences of your parents affected the way that you write and the topics you choose to focus on? Do you feel they are at the forefront when it comes to writing about racial disparities or is it more of a subconscious expression?
ZEF: My parents’ influences are like any other parent influencing their child according to their own cultural and social experiences. I don’t feel they’re at the forefront of all of my writing, but they are my parents, so sometimes they show up, and sometimes they don’t.
GM: You do a lot of work in a variety of mediums: improv comedy, spoken word poetry, and podcasts to name a few, but even when writing about often divisive topics, your work subtly infuses comedic and satirical elements. How big of a role would you say comedy plays in your writing, and how do you balance the use of comedy while exploring serious themes? Do you think more poetry should embrace comedy when writing about serious topics?
ZEF: I’ve always found humor in almost everything. Balancing comedy with serious situations is something I’ve done since I was a kid. So, I suppose it just bleeds into my writing. Poetry is the unique thoughts and expression of the author. Every writer has their niche whether it’s about food, love, politics–whatever. And it typically reflects their personality. So to suggest a poet’s work be something else would be inauthentic to who they are as an artist. I think poetry is fine the way it is.
GM: In addition to publishing your own writing, you also have a small press, I.W.A. Publications, and a literary journal, 45 Magazine; how has your experience as an editor and publisher influenced your writing? As an editor, what advice would you give other writers?
ZEF: For me, the use of form and structure tells me that the writer has taken a methodical approach to their work. Whether it’s line breaks with poetry or the use of paragraphs and subheaders with prose, it shows the writer is exercising control in how they craft their words. I appreciate that. I also understand not all submission platforms make it easy to do that.
GM: A lot of your work outside of your poetry deals with your online presence. How have digital publications shifted how you think of writing, and do you feel like this new form of online media benefits writers? How have you maneuvered crafting a presence in virtual communities and media in order to better publicize yourself and your work
ZEF: Digital publications make creatives’ work more accessible. It offers writers the opportunity to elevate and showcase their talent in ways limited only by imagination. A poem can be supplemented with audio, a movie, animation, comics, and even provide an interactive experience. As a writer, that’s been extremely helpful.
ZEF: It does, doesn’t it? It was never my intention. I’m just writing about memories that happen to rhyme sometimes. I want my readers to come away with an enlightened perspective. I believe if you dig deep enough, almost every personal experience is connected to a broader social discussion.
GM: Congratulations on your Pushcart Prize award for your poem "Pee is for Prejudice." In this poem, you discuss themes of racism and social injustice over a wide period of time from 2015 and going back as far as 1974. What made you choose to write about these particular moments in time, in this particular order, and are the varying gaps in years significant to your selection?
ZEF: Thank you for nominating me. “Pee is for Prejudice” is an amalgamation of different writing prompt responses and stories I’d tell at gatherings. I thought it interesting to find myself in such peculiar situations with co-workers from different states–something my “homegirls” would never be bold enough to do. While synthesizing memories as a kid, I realized all these stories shared a common theme. So, I decided to explore the significance of it all. Organizing by date just came naturally.
GM: Also in “Pee is for Prejudice”, you explore the issues with a very close up lens, focusing on intimate details rather than larger scenic moments. For example, you say “He lived further down my white block. / Far enough for me to ask to use his bathroom. He refused.” How does focusing on these small moments allow you to explore the issues with more nuance than a more generalized approach?
ZEF: I’m simply recalling a memory. When I do it that way, I discipline myself to look at the details. With this approach, the bigger picture simply writes itself. Some memories you never forget and are as clear as yesterday. For me, the process of writing poetry is like that. I’ve “time traveled” to that place I’m writing about. It could’ve been a prompt, an object, a scent…food–just like eating turkey and stuffing can “transport” one to a memorable Thanksgiving holiday…poetry can do that…appealing to the senses that way.
GM: Many beginning writers, especially beginning poets, explore the use of form and experiment with devices such as line breaks, headings, etc. in their writing without a full grasp of the impact it has on the writing. Are there any differences you look for between a writer using these devices in a methodical, experienced approach as opposed to a newer writer’s experimentation?
ZEF: Yes, the story. The poem must have meaning, and all those techniques we mentioned should contribute to the message. I’d ask my students why they chose that form. Sometimes, what they’re trying to articulate may require another method because writing is about finding the form or genre that will best deliver the message the writer wants to convey.
GM: You have over a decade of experiences as a writer, publisher, editor, and performer, including your poetry being recognized by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. How did that interaction come about?
ZEF: I had just discovered my voice as a poet, and I wrote a poem about “Clinton trying to get in where he fits in.” Sounds corny now–something I’d never submit today. I mailed it to Washington and thought nothing more until my mother called me and said, “Uhm, you have a letter from The White House.” Looking back, I can’t imagine how surreal of a moment that had to have been for my parents, who lived through Jim Crow.
GM: How has the experiences of your parents affected the way that you write and the topics you choose to focus on? Do you feel they are at the forefront when it comes to writing about racial disparities or is it more of a subconscious expression?
ZEF: My parents’ influences are like any other parent influencing their child according to their own cultural and social experiences. I don’t feel they’re at the forefront of all of my writing, but they are my parents, so sometimes they show up, and sometimes they don’t.
GM: You do a lot of work in a variety of mediums: improv comedy, spoken word poetry, and podcasts to name a few, but even when writing about often divisive topics, your work subtly infuses comedic and satirical elements. How big of a role would you say comedy plays in your writing, and how do you balance the use of comedy while exploring serious themes? Do you think more poetry should embrace comedy when writing about serious topics?
ZEF: I’ve always found humor in almost everything. Balancing comedy with serious situations is something I’ve done since I was a kid. So, I suppose it just bleeds into my writing. Poetry is the unique thoughts and expression of the author. Every writer has their niche whether it’s about food, love, politics–whatever. And it typically reflects their personality. So to suggest a poet’s work be something else would be inauthentic to who they are as an artist. I think poetry is fine the way it is.
GM: In addition to publishing your own writing, you also have a small press, I.W.A. Publications, and a literary journal, 45 Magazine; how has your experience as an editor and publisher influenced your writing? As an editor, what advice would you give other writers?
ZEF: For me, the use of form and structure tells me that the writer has taken a methodical approach to their work. Whether it’s line breaks with poetry or the use of paragraphs and subheaders with prose, it shows the writer is exercising control in how they craft their words. I appreciate that. I also understand not all submission platforms make it easy to do that.
GM: A lot of your work outside of your poetry deals with your online presence. How have digital publications shifted how you think of writing, and do you feel like this new form of online media benefits writers? How have you maneuvered crafting a presence in virtual communities and media in order to better publicize yourself and your work
ZEF: Digital publications make creatives’ work more accessible. It offers writers the opportunity to elevate and showcase their talent in ways limited only by imagination. A poem can be supplemented with audio, a movie, animation, comics, and even provide an interactive experience. As a writer, that’s been extremely helpful.
