Long before stages and spotlights, people found comfort between the pages of books, getting lost in alternate worlds and falling in love with language.
Yolandi Pedro (46) allowed poetry to enter her life in childhood, but it was only years later that her relationship with writing deepened into something transformative, a rediscovery that would lead her to the stage, to community, and now, to publication.
“I’ve always loved books and reading, being surrounded by books is one of my favourite things,” said Yolandi.
That lifelong passion eventually reignited a few years ago, when she began writing her first book and performing her poetry live.
“I found Writers Bloc and haven’t looked back since. I am comfortable on stage and enjoy telling stories through my writing.”
She writes primarily in free verse, a form that allows her complete freedom of expression. Unbound by rigid rhyme schemes or traditional structures, her poetry flows according to feeling rather than formula.
Her inspiration is deeply personal and intuitive. There is no fixed routine or forced discipline, she writes when something demands to be written. Her work often emerges from emotional check-ins; how she’s feeling, what’s happening in her life, or moments that linger long after they pass. Sometimes inspiration strikes so urgently that she has had to pull over while driving just to write something down.
Yolandi’s influences reflect both literary depth and emotional honesty. South African writer Adam Small inspired her to explore her Afrikaans roots more deeply, both in reading and performance.
Despite her comfort level performing, sharing deeply personal poetry has been her greatest challenge.
“Some of my pieces are very personal, and it’s hard to share them,” she admits.
Her proudest achievement remains the very first time she performed as a poet. Stepping onto that stage marked a decisive shift. Since then, she has become a regular presence in the spoken word scene, performing at least once, but sometimes twice a month.
The themes she explores are wide-ranging and deeply human: Love and loss, abuse and healing, childhood memories, and even her grandmother’s food.
“Poetry is very personal to me, I write about what matters,” Yolandi added.
She believes these themes reflect the shared challenges that connect people while honouring individual experiences, and she describes her style as “intense, honest and comforting.” Above all, she hopes her work reminds readers and listeners that they are not alone.
Her advice to aspiring poets is simple and resolute.
“Just start. Write. Perform. Keep going.”
She encourages writers not to wait for perfection, but to trust the process and remain true to themselves.
Among the poets she looks up to are Lebogang Mashile and her fellow Writers Bloc poets.
