In honour of Women’s month Nerine Schilder launched her anthology of poems documenting her life’s journey via YouTube.
Ms Schilder, 51, who grew up in Rocklands and now lives in Vredehoek, decided four years ago to collate the 101 poems and two declarations into her book Journey of Emotions Through Poetry.
Initially Ms Schilder had planned to release her book in April, a week after the national Covid-19 lockdown was announced, but was unable to get the book.
She then decided to hold a virtual launch on Women’s Day, Sunday August 9.
She had been writing since before her Glendale High School days, penning her thoughts on scraps of paper, which she stored in a box and was amazed that she had written so much.
MsSchilder attended Weltevreden Primary School, which is now the Mitchell’s Plain School of Skills.
She remembers writing her first poem for a friend entitled Harlekyn, clown in English, one of two Afrikaans poems she had written. She recited the other poem Wow Man during the launch.
“My poetry is about my life’s issues, about nature, events that have taken place in my life or in the lives of people who have impacted on my life – social media and the news,” she said.
She lived in Rocklands for more than 20 years before moving to Eikendal, in Kraaifontein, and then moved to Vredehoek last year.
From page 18
Ms Schilder is married to Yazeed Rabaney, and the book is dedicated to her daughter Cleo Coury, 28, who lives in Georgia in the United States, son Marquise Josephs, 22, who lives in Kuils River, and her two grandchildren, aged 2 and 1.
Ms Schilder who is a programme manager at the Western Cape legislature, now writes when she has some free time, while sitting in nature, at the beach or in a park and when something happens to inspire her.
“When I hear something on the news or something happens to someone close to me then I write,” she said.
Ms Schilder said her mother Patricia, 74, has been her pillar of strength and inspiration throughout her life. Her dad Cedric, 77, still live in Rocklands. She has three sisters, a brother and two half-brothers.
In 2004 she entered a poetry competition for the first time and was invited to read her poem entitled “Waves” at the Poetry Convention and Symposium, which was in Orlando the following year. Her poem was published in the international library of poetry.
Her work was also published in the book “Breaking the silence, journeys to recovering”, by non-profit organisation People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), which was launched in Soweto in 2009.
“I like to think of poetry as the ‘unspoken word’,” she said.
Ms Schilder read her poems My favourite quilt, Women in Africa, No means no, Woven, the acronym for Women Of Value Empowering Nations, in honour of Women’s Month, which she said should be celebrated throughout the year.
“You are beautiful and do not be defined by others’ opinions of you,” she said.
Ten percent of the income from book sales will be donated to the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, in Manenberg.
For more information and to buy the book call Ms Schilder on 072 978 1852.