Meet Yvonne Romera | On-the-spot typewriter poet

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yvonne Romera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yvonne, why did you pursue a creative career?
For many years, I’ve always acknowledged my creative side as a secondary identity, my career being the first. I used to be in banking, which had no creative outlet but a lot of financial stability, and I would pursue my fun hobbies after work. I would do jigsaw puzzles, roller skate, and teach a beginner pole dance class outside of work.

So when I lost that job at the end of 2023, I had to face the existential question of “Who am I without a career?” I spiraled, fell into despair because I was facing a brutal job market. Halfway through 2024, I began to practice writing again; a natural talent I had put on hiatus since 2018. It felt stiff, like an older ballet dancer coming home to what she once loved in her younger days. I pushed through what felt like chunky and bland writing until I felt the familiar flow of words stretch my brain muscles. I was slowly calling myself a writer again. At some point, I felt curious enough to teach myself how to write poetry after I became familiar with a friend’s published book of poems. I showed him my first prose-poem and his stunned and enthusiastic reaction gave me all the encouragement to keep writing. I was excited to see that my skills in fiction writing transferred well over to poetry.

With no job interviews anytime soon and full of frustration over the job market, I realized I needed to network and meet people. Months before, the Instagram account of Olivia Dodd @olivia.poetess got fed into my algorithm. She is a typewriter poet based in London who would go out to a public park and write poetry for strangers. I was immediately enamored by the art! It captured my love of stories and creating literary magic in unexpected places. “I would totally do this as a side hustle!”, I shared to my sister with hearts over my eyes. So I built “Poetry by Yvonne” with the intention of going out and meeting people by doing something creative and that would make me happy, hoping to attract the right people that will bless me with employment.

It was scary at first to embrace the title of “full time creative”, but it also felt like a major part of my personality roared to life by finally being fully acknowledged. I quickly gathered everything I knew and experienced from all of my past jobs to put together my small booth for my first market. I waded in messy and raw with nothing to lose. I swore to myself before I walked out the door to set up at my first market that I was going to write my way back up to financial stability and find my purpose.

Four months into listening carefully to people’s loves, pains, hurts, journeys, and musings and turning pieces of their soul into crafted words of wisdom and wonder, I found me. I was writing in an art gallery in the middle of Downtown Los Angeles surrounded by other creatives when I finally pushed away the last of the fluff I was carrying and saw the core of who I am as an artist, as a human being living this timeline, as the little girl who had to build shields around her to protect herself and to survive life with its challenges.

By becoming a creative artist, I came home to myself. Becoming a typewriter poet for people who had all the feelings but not the words led me home. I started this creative career with the intention to find my dream job and then realizing this was my dream job!

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
On the spot typewriter poetry is still considered a niche art as majority of the people I’ve met has never seen or heard of one. To be unique and rare in the market pop up scene is truly special as I get to introduce this to people who has never experienced getting a poem written for them.

It’s simple, in retrospect. People give me any topic they want and I write a poem about it on the spot on a vintage typewriter. What I also do is provide the energetic space for people to pour their hearts out; talk about a beloved pet, gush about how much they love their person, unfold their wounds, seek a wisdom they needed to hear. I turn those emotions into words, the tactile sounds of a typewriter clacking away as I put down on paper words that directly sear through the heart and blankets the soul. Then I present the poem by reading it to them in an intimate manner, knowing this is just for them in this very moment. The exchange is spiritual, a marriage of energies between the patron and the poet.

One of the most meaningful poems I’ve ever written was for this husband who wanted a poem for his recently cancer-diagnosed wife. He didn’t have the words other than “I love you” and “I’m here for you”. But as a poet, I was able to expound on his feelings and his intention on taking care of his wife and child. After he walked away, it hit me that there’s going to be a wife who knows she is so loved during this hard time because of a poem I wrote for them. I helped strengthen marriages, relationships, friendships, etc. Those people receiving my poem know that they are loved and it leaves me with such profound feelings about my life purpose. This ripple of energy feels bigger than me. I don’t know how far this creative pursuit will take me but I am determined to enjoy every bump and thrill of the ride.

One of the biggest hurdles I had to overcome in this art form was the habit of overthinking. If I were to succeed in this, I had to get myself to a mental space to trust my intuition, believe in the talent I have accumulated so far, and just let things flow. Imposter syndrome will of course pop up once in a while. It would be very easy to convince myself that my writing is actually amateurish and everyone is just being kind by humoring me. It’s also easy to feel like a failure when I’m in the middle of a market and everyone has a customer but me. So I had to learn how to advocate for myself by stepping out of my comfort zone and not “hide” behind my typewriter. What I do is cool and does take talent, but that doesn’t stop the negative voices whispering that I don’t belong there. I keep them at bay by listening to motivating podcasts like The Mel Robbins Podcast on my drives home. Another challenge I encountered was I entered the market pop up scene at a time when customer shopping behavior shifted. Being a niche and rare vendor, I have to communicate to shoppers in 3 seconds or less what is it that I do, what could I do for them, and what they will walk away with is something no one in the world will ever have. Talking with my fellow vendors and market organizers has given me a lot of really good insight and ideas on how do I keep improving myself. Networking is also absolutely crucial in my business. I’ve been referred to events where I didn’t have to pay a fee for a spot all because I was having a chat with my vendor neighbor.

Normally one shouldn’t rely on external validation when valuing your art. I’ve had to keep a balance on creating art that I’m happy with, and something that will uniquely touch my patron’s heart. In the beginning, after I read my poem to my patron, I looked to them for validation that it is a good poem and that they like it. Now after I read my poem, I look forward to their reaction with confidence, knowing that I just rocked their world.

If there’s something I’d like to share to the world, it’s this story. I started this creative business shortly before my grandmother passed away. She didn’t get to read the poems I was most proud of and it made me sad. But she did manage to express how proud she was of me that I have taken on one of the highest and most elite art forms in the world. I thought she was just being grandiose about it, she herself writing poetry in her younger days, but she was right. Poetry is one of the most universal and oldest of art mankind has ever created when we first learned to read and write. What I love about what I do is that I am demystifying the art, taking it off its high shelf and weaving verses that personally relate to every person I meet. I’ve written about the lofty ideals of solitude and wonders of being alive, and the crappy misadventures of someone’s Crohn’s disease. Typewriter poetry is in a way a cousin to rap music; it’s born from the streets and flows from the experience of the creator influenced by their external surroundings. I feel quite honored to be taking this path and perhaps inspire other poets and writers get themselves a typewriter too.

I believe everybody deserves a poem written for them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Living in the South Bay, I would take them first to Tacos El Goloso, one of my personal favorites. Then it would be a walk/hike at Point Vicente to enjoy the combined smells of lavender and ocean air, finding peace in the sounds of crashing waves. For more nature walks, I would take them to the South Coast Botanic Garden. There’s this big tree in the middle of the garden that I love that’s a great spot for writing or reading.

For a fun night, I would take my friend to a burlesque or drag show. Harvelle’s and Hamburger Mary’s are both in Long Beach and have been my favorite spots for late night live entertainment. I worked with a burlesque troupe before called “Booty Burlesque” and they always turn out a great show!

For a historical adventure, I would be taking my friend to San Pedro to explore old military bunkers and canons embedded below the Korean Bell. I’d bring with us sandwiches from San Pedro’s famous Busy Bee Market and I’d take them to the colorful graffitied world of Sunken City to picnic atop a slab of what used to be a road. We’d enjoy the view of the ocean glinting from the sun. For delicious Thai food in the San Pedro area, it has to be Sirinat Thai & Sushi Bar.

In the Los Angeles area, we’d be getting lunch at Quarters, one of my favorite Korean barbecue places. Then dessert at Oakobing nearby for the best Korean-style shaved ice. And while we’re in the area, I’d show the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, a.k.a. the church where they filmed the “Helena” music video.

If I were to choose a tourist spot, it would be the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where they sometimes hold movie nights and have the cutest ducks waddling around. The place itself is peaceful and lots of very familiar names are buried there. And maybe also the Santa Monica Pier to watch the sunset at. Then dinner at Milo & Olive restaurant.

Of course we cannot miss the LA Public Library, The Last Bookstore, The Broad museum, The Mermaid bar… then for some authentic Filipino street food that you grill yourself, Dollar Hits is the place.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friend Devon who planted the seed of poetry in me.

My aunt Cindy, sister Maureen, and brother-in-law RJ who helped me cut out my first business cards, designed my signboard, loaded all my booth stuff to my car the night before my very first market. I will never forget that night of feeling supported and loved.

The ladies of Creative Babe Market who supported me at my very first market pop up. Izzie and Josh from Fairy Rad Sister who believes in me so much and just honest to goodness fans of the work that I do for others. Jasmin the owner of Local Gem Collective shop and a loyal patron, whose heart is so big enough to hold space for all the creative women in her life, and has bought several poems from me to give to almost all of her immediate family members and friends.

Gary of Gary’s Typewriters in Long Beach for maintaining my typewriters in good condition.

My fabulous and hardworking bestie Marybel who lent me the shoulder to cry on throughout my journey, held my space, and gave me all the emotional and sales talk support at my last bridal wedding expo.

Tee, who will have my back as I enter the poetry slam arena.

Mom, Dad, Don, my other family members and friends back in the Philippines rooting for me and praying for my success.

Laura, for her brand marketing wisdom and for challenging me to charge what I’m worth.

To the poets Lang Leav, Amanda Gorman, Ada Limon, Olivia Dodd, and Brian Sonia-Wallace, whose footsteps I follow.

To my fellow small business owners, creatives, and patrons that I’ve befriended along the way, I thank you for your kindness and your stories.

To my girl Raqui, whose unique eyewear helped me fall in love with who I am and who I am becoming.

To Angela from JVS SoCal, thank you for keeping me afloat with your knowledge and listening ear. You were there for me from the beginning until I was ready to fly.

To Neville Goddard, Joe Dispenza, & Abraham Hicks, your teachings are essential for any small business owner.

To my favorite band in the whole world, My Chemical Romance. Your music is in my very bones and solidified the unshakeable optimism that I carry with me. Their essence lives in the poems that I write.

Instagram: @poetryvonchelle