WORDS have never been an issue for The Bluff resident Ilze du Plessis, and now her writing ability has earner her national recognition. Her poem was recently released in Ons Klyntji, South Africa’s oldest literary zine which recently celebrated its 129th year in publication.

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Being an avid writer since her school days, Du Plessis highlighted that her short poem was selected for inclusion in the annual publication, with creative writing, artwork and photography contributions from writers across the country.

Start of poetic journey:

“Although it bears an Afrikaans title, it’s open to writers to submit their work, paintings, and photographs in any of South Africa’s official languages. The zine been revived by its editors and continues to commemorate the diverse creative voices of South Africa,” she said.

Du Plessis said her passion for poetry stemmed from when she was doing languages and literature at an undergraduate level. “Each year, I had to submit a portfolio of creative writing for my exam mark, poems, short stories and plays. That’s where I started experimenting with poetry and discovered my voice,” she explained.

Her poem:

Her work that was presented, which she composed in English, is a concise reflection on how time slips away and how most are trapped in framed rhythms by modern life. “It attempts to convey the manner in which we fritter away our youth in routine and structure, and when we are tired out at the conclusion, we refer to this as a life well-lived, without ever having lived it properly,” she explained.

The zine:

She described Ons Klyntji as open to the unorthodox pieces of work. Du Plessis said the magazine encourages critical, alternative thought. “It is open to every writer and artist in the country and submits to a selection process. In terms of theme, it is more towards the alternative and publishes works that cause people to think more about people and about facets of society, generally missed or overlooked,” she added.

Although teaching keeps her busy, Du Plessis continues to write in her free time, often sharing her poetry on Instagram. “Most of my posts are in Afrikaans, but this particular poem was written in English. It is something I’d like to explore further in both languages and see where it goes,” she added.

Her success serves as an inspiration to her learners and community individuals to strive as well, demonstrating that it is possible to pursue creativity even in the midst of daily routines.

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