Bronx Poet Roya Marsh Reflects on Black Life

Summary

All Of It: Bronx Poet Roya Marsh Reflects on Black Life

Episode Release Date: March 4, 2025

In this compelling episode of WNYC’s All Of It, host Alison Stewart engages in an insightful conversation with Bronx-born poet, educator, and activist Roya Marsh. Marsh delves deep into her latest poetry collection, Savings Time, exploring themes of blackness, queerness, community, love, and survival. This episode offers listeners a profound look into Marsh’s creative process, the inspirations behind her work, and her journey as a poet and performer.

Introduction to Roya Marsh and Savings Time

Alison Stewart introduces Roya Marsh, highlighting her second poetry collection, Savings Time. Marsh’s work continues the personal and political exploration initiated in her first collection, Daylight (2020). According to the author’s note in Savings Time, “they are banning books and bodies. It's a matter of time before they come for our last breath," underscoring the urgent and liberating nature of her poetry ([00:39] Alison Stewart).

Inspiration Behind the Title: Savings Time

When asked about the inspiration for the title Savings Time, Marsh explains the temporal significance and communal focus of her work. “[...] Savings Time is to me a time capsule. It is a piece of art that is meant to capture and imprint something extremely significant into the hearts and minds of those alive right now and those to come” ([01:48] Roya Marsh). She emphasizes that her poetry serves as a tool for self-liberation and contributes to the broader pursuit of collective black liberation, advocating for inclusive participation in the revolution toward equity.

Reading of "Hypersensitivity"

Marsh shares a poignant piece titled "Hypersensitivity," which critiques societal mechanisms that suppress and dehumanize marginalized individuals. The poem vividly illustrates the struggle against oppressive forces:

"Hypersensitivity
Is a term made up by the devil to keep angels falling from grace.
Is shock treatment. Is silver tape on the mouth, hands, feet.
Is a gag order."
— *Roya Marsh, "Hypersensitivity" ([03:25] Roya Marsh)

This powerful reading sets the tone for the themes explored throughout Savings Time, highlighting the intersection of personal trauma and systemic violence.

Navigating Trauma and Internal Experiences in Poetry

Alison Stewart inquires about Marsh’s approach to writing about traumatic events alongside internal struggles. Marsh responds, “[...] it's almost impossible for me to separate these things based on my lived experiences. I think that they all come out at the same time” ([05:43] Roya Marsh). She elaborates on the interconnectedness of black joy and rage, stating, “I'm thinking of how I only know to experience joy because I've experienced rage. I only know to experience rage because I have experienced joy” ([05:47] Roya Marsh). This interplay underscores the complexity of her emotional landscape and its expression through poetry.

Reading of "He seemed so nice"

Marsh proceeds to read another evocative poem, "He seemed so nice," which critiques the dehumanization and racial biases present in media portrayals of perpetrators of violence:

"He seemed so nice
He has two parents and a football trophy.
He takes out the trash and wheels the cans back into the yard.
...
Cause nice men always take out the trash, don't they?"
— *Roya Marsh, "He seemed so nice" ([07:15] Roya Marsh)

This poem exemplifies Marsh’s ability to confront uncomfortable truths and challenge societal narratives through her evocative language.

The Purpose of Writing: Catharsis and Change

When asked about her motivations for writing, Marsh affirms that her work serves multiple purposes: catharsis, advocacy for change, and honoring victims. “[...] having the platform to reflect on pain, outrage and grief that come with witnessing or experiencing state violence makes it my duty” ([09:09] Roya Marsh). She aspires to challenge oppressive systems, seek justice, and inspire direct action, highlighting the transformative power of literature.

Exploring LGBTQ Identity and Intersectionality

Marsh discusses her poem "Gay Girl," which addresses the intersectionality of her identities as a queer black woman. She explains, “[...] people assume that because I am a queer woman and in same-sex relationships, I am less than a woman by some other societal standard” ([10:31] Roya Marsh). Through her poetry, Marsh confronts and dismantles these reductive stereotypes, asserting the full complexity of her identity: “I am all these things. I am none of these things, and there is actually nothing that you can do to pigeonhole me” ([10:31] Roya Marsh).

From Writer to Performer: An Accidental Journey into Poetry Slams

Marsh shares a humorous and pivotal moment in her career when she unintentionally entered a poetry slam. “[...] I was on a date, actually. I was going to try to sign up for this open mic... and I win this poetry slam” ([11:36] Roya Marsh). This experience introduced her to the vibrant world of competitive performance poetry, significantly altering her trajectory as a writer. She describes the poetry slam as a revelation, offering a communal space filled with creative energy and resonance.

Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by acknowledging the depth and impact of Roya Marsh’s work. Marsh’s Savings Time not only captures her personal journey but also serves as a collective voice for marginalized communities striving for liberation and recognition. Her poetry, rich with emotional and political nuance, invites listeners to engage with the complexities of identity, resilience, and the ongoing fight for justice.

Join WNYC's All Of It weekdays from 12:00 - 2:00 PM to explore more conversations that shape and reflect the vibrant culture of New York City.

Transcript

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[Roya Marsh]

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Bronx born poet, educator and activist. Roya Marsh's latest collection of poems weaves together themes of blackness, queerness, community, love and survival. It's titled Savings Time. This is Roya Marsh's second collection since publishing Daylight in 2020. In the author's note, she writes, they are banning books and bodies. It's a matter of time before they come for our last breath. She also encourages readers to find joy in the ordinary while reflecting on what it means to feel truly liberated. There are moments, there are poems about black joy and rage, including a poem lamenting the death of Tyree Nichols who was killed in a police involved shooting in 2023, and multiple pieces reflecting on means to exist as a black woman, including an ode to the Color Purple. Savings Time is out now. Author Royal joins us. Roya Marsh, excuse me, joins us to discuss. Hi Roya.

[Roya Marsh]

Hello. Hello. Good afternoon.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell us where you had the inspiration for titling this book of poems. Savings Time.

[Roya Marsh]

Yes, yes. You know, the manuscript came together well before a title was there, but I had always had a working title which was temporal in nature and was really questioning our relationship to time. And when I say our, I mean myself as well as my immediate community. My first book, Daylight, was a courageous exploration of my personal identity. It detailed my transition from the label of, you know, tomboy when I was younger to self identifier as a black butch woman. The writing for me, I think is very personal because it highlights my journey and I use these poems as tools for self liberation. And with this deep commitment, you know, Savings Time, it isn't just a continuation of Daylight. It is to me a time capsule. It is a piece of art that is meant to capture and imprint something extremely significant into the hearts and minds of those alive right now and those to come. Right. This work for me, I believe is a part of a broader pursuit toward collective black liberation. And it emphasizes that the revolution actually requires the participation of all of us, not just individual salvation.

[Alison Stewart]

I would love if you could read a poem for us. I was thinking of Hypersensitivity. Could you read that?

[Roya Marsh]

Yeah, I would love to love it.

Hypersensitivity Is a term made up by the devil to keep angels falling from grace.

Is shock treatment. Is silver tape on the mouth, hands, feet. Is a gag order.

Is an order of protection placed by yourself against yourself. Is a sleep aid, induces a coma. Is an antidepressant, keeps you asleep inside yourself. Is a straight jacket, Keeps you wild inside yourself. Won't let the inside out, only the outside in. Makes you uncomfortable, makes you a feeling, makes you a loner. Makes you a color that no one wants. Does not make you a human. Is white America. Is black America. Is Latin America. Is having all of these Americas in one America and not once feeling whole or home. Is a body in the street from 3pm to 9:47pm is a body bleeding and cuffed and dying. Is a pointer, a trigger, a trigger finger, the chamber, the barrel, the bullet. Is the last breath. Is a response to stimulus that plucks a nerve in the accuser and has nothing to do with the accused. Is the time I tell a man he is not my daddy and he calls me a Is that statement coming from my daddy? Is me missing my daddy Is me falling from grace is me never being graceful, never being an angel, never being the devil, just being hyper and sensitive.

[Alison Stewart]

That is poet, performer and educator Roya Marsh. She's reading from her second collection of poems, Savings Times. She's joining us to discuss. Sometimes poets write about traumatic events. There's several referenced in that. Hypersensitivity. There's several referenced, but sometimes you're dealing with something really internal, something really internal within yourself. How do you write about both of these? Or do you keep them separate?

[Roya Marsh]

I feel like it's almost impossible for.

Me to separate these things based on my lived experiences. I think that they all come out at the same time. And there are often instances where one might be sitting atop the other, it might be at the forefront. And I need to push through that in order to process, in order to recognize, you know, if I'm thinking about the themes of black joy and black rage, Right. I'm thinking of how I only know to experience joy because I've experienced rage. I only know to experience rage because I have experienced joy. There's no other way that I would be able to differentiate between these things had I not experienced the other. So there's a constant interrelationship for me, I believe.

[Alison Stewart]

I want you to read the poem. He seemed so nice. Could you tell us the impetus for this poem before you read it?

[Roya Marsh]

Yeah, absolutely. You know, I don't intake the news and television as much as I used to, but growing up, it was always something that I watched when I was getting ready for school in the morning, or, you know, maybe it was playing when I was at my grandmother's house and it was the background noise for us to do our homework. And I thought so often about the. The transition from the news actually being new information to what it is now, where it's constant reporting of crimes. And then they canvas the neighborhood and they get people to speak and.

Or my lived experience out in the world, I hear different perspectives around topics.

That have popped up in media where folks will always try to honor and humanize certain assailants and immediately dehumanize and demonize other assailants based on their race and ethnic backgrounds. And so this poem specifically speaks to the language that I've heard in my personal black lived experience of people attempting to highlight how someone who committed an egregious atrocity just seemed so nice. He seems so nice.

He has two parents and a football trophy. He holds the cigarette butt until he can put it in the garbage. He takes out the trash and recycling and wheels the cans back into the yard. He curbs the dog. He waves at you while mowing the lawn. Irons his Confederate flag and lanes it across the hood of his pickup. He signals before he turns. Taught to hunt like his daddy, A man who takes his life out on everyone else. Cleans his gun before he shoots. Picks up cans and shells after practice, scopes game and attacks when least expected. Manipulates the art of silence and blinking. Finally dabs the sweat off his brow. Stands over this bloodied once in a blue body. Cause nice men always take out the trash, don't they?

[Alison Stewart]

That's Roya Marsh reading from her book Savings Time. When you're writing, are you writing for catharsis? Are you writing for change? Are you writing for both?

[Roya Marsh]

Mm, yes. I love that question. I think I am writing for all of the above and more. I feel not addressing any of these topics would be willfully ignorant of me. And having the platform to reflect on pain, outrage and grief that come with witnessing or experiencing state violence makes it my duty. And so writing. I'm writing and it is encompassing all aspects of my all complexities of my personal lived experience. And I'm hoping to challenge oppressive systems. I'm hoping to honor victims while demanding accountability. I'm hoping to seek justice and equity for marginalized communities. I'm always hoping to offer solidarity to those impacted because I know that the power of literature can raise awareness and inspire direct action.

[Alison Stewart]

You have a Poem called Gay Girl, which starts off with the boy asking, boy, you gay or you girl? To which you answer, we can't say on the radio, but you have an internal monologue, shall we say? How do these poems reflect on how people see other people who are part of the LGBTQ community, particularly black women?

[Roya Marsh]

Yes, I love that. You know, that poem in particular is something that is also born of a lived experience where one part of my identity is nullified based on another aspect of my identity, whether someone has actual proof that I identify as this or not. And I think so often about these conversations where because I am a queer woman, identify as queer, and I and I'm in same sex relationships, that means that I'm less than a woman by some other societal standard. And that isn't true to me. That isn't authentic, and I know that. And so I use these poems to challenge that particular aspect of the status quo, to say, I am all these things. I am none of these things, and there is actually nothing that you can do to pigeonhole me and to lock me into a box of your expectations.

[Alison Stewart]

Soraya, I understand you were a writer before you were a performer, and you've often mentioned you accidentally signed up for your first poetry slam. How did that happen?

[Roya Marsh]

Yes. Oh, hilarious story. I always want to cite the host of that event, who was Nathan P. I was on a date, actually. I was going to try to sign up for this open mic, you know, do my little whoop de whoop and move on. And once I was finished and I got applause and everything, you know, I'm feeling myself, I'm sitting in my seat, a couple more performers go, and the host then calls out to me, and the host is like, do you have another poem? And I'm like, well, for what I already performed. And so the host then goes on to explain to me that this is a poetry slam. And I find out what the poetry slam is after I have already somehow entered myself by signing up on what I thought was an open mic list. I win this poetry slam. I'm introduced to this completely new arena of competitive performance poetry, which really changed the trajectory of my life as a writer. I wasn't a performer at that point. I was just someone who had memorized my writing and was saying it out loud, you know, and then my eyes were opened to the world of people who were living, dreaming, writing, and creating so much work that it just felt so, so resonant to me. It felt like this was a place that maybe someone was even hiding from me for all of this time.

[Alison Stewart]

The name of the book is Savings Time. It is full of poems by Roya Marsh. Roya, thank you so much for joining us and for sharing your poems with us.

[Roya Marsh]

Yes, thank you so much, Allison.

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