Greenside celebrity shares her life lived in poetry and trees
From the thorny fields of Natal, to the leafy streets of Johannesburg, André Hattingh’s new poetry collection celebrates trees, art, and the stories of her life.
André Hattingh, once a Parktown North resident and now happily settled in Greenside, has released My Leaves Stay Green, a book of poetry she calls her: ‘Biogratree’. It is a deeply personal collection where her love of trees becomes the thread that weaves together her life’s story.
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Best known as a stage and television actress, singer-songwriter, and dress designer, Hattingh’s latest creation pairs her poems with artworks by award-winning artist Bronwen Findlay. The two share a friendship that began at school and has now blossomed into a creative partnership, with Findlay’s paintings offering a visual echo of Hattingh’s words.
Her bond with trees began in Thorn Country, at the foothills of the Drakensberg, where she climbed their branches with her sisters and spoke to them as friends. Now, living in Johannesburg, which she fondly calls the ‘City of Trees’, her passion has only grown.
During the pandemic, she began writing uplifting verses for friends on Facebook, a style her sister dubbed: ‘Pop-up Poetree’, instant poetry for a busy world. The encouragement she received led to the creation of this book, which is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the soul.
She now performs My Leaves Stay Green at venues across the country, blending poetry, music, and storytelling in a forty-minute show.
The book is available directly from Hattingh for R350, with nationwide postage for an additional R100. For orders or performance bookings, email her at andrel@global.co.za.
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