Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Book SA's crime page publishes my poem on crime fiction. Called, er, 'Crime Fiction'.

Fiona Zerbst : a poet's perspective on crime fiction
by Barbara on 02 Sep 2009 | Fiona Zerbst




‘I’m a big fan of crime fiction, especially the really ‘dark’ stuff,’ says Fiona Zerbst who crystallises her
take on the genre in a poem from her fourth volume of poetry ,Oleander, which was published recently by Modjaji Books. ‘It occurs to me that there are formulae to follow but, within those formulae, there are entire, expansive, human stories that find expression. So it’s possible to get to the heart of human nature, not just because of the genre, but because of the challenges presented by the strictures of the genre.’

Crime fiction


There’s always a lake,
a body on ice,
a man alone.

Slab-cheeked policemen,
frigid women,
the silent phone.

Controlled addiction,
dictionary clues,
a cross-hatched bone,

a broken marriage.
Foibles of life
lived out at home

where money’s scarce,
children intrude,
peace is hard-won.

There’s always the night,
a sequel to write,
a crime to condone.

I’m drawn to the scene,
a place I’ve been to:
innocence gone.
  • Fiona Zerbst works as a freelance writer and has a Masters degree from UCT. Previous volumes of poetry include Parting Shots (1991), The Small Zone (1995) and Time and Again (2002).