Berit Petolai

Berit Petolai (born 22. III 1985) is a poet.

Petolai was born in Tartu. She completed Tartu Forselius Gymnasium and studied literature at the University of Tartu. Berit Petolai has worked at Apollo bookshop, as a guide at Juhan Liiv Museum and a librarian at Koosa in Tartu County. She lives at Meoma village in Tartu County.

Petolai’s first poems appeared in the journal Looming in 2016. In 2019, she published the poetry collection Meoma ümisevad tuuled (‘The Humming Winds of Meoma’). In 2021, Petolai was awarded the Juhan Liiv Poetry Prize. Her second collection, Hele, tukslev ja nimetu (‘Bright, Throbbing and Nameless’, 2025) won the Estonian Women’s Literature Annual Award.

Petolai writes in a lyrical-philosophical manner. Her poetry expresses the beauty of human life, breathing and throbbing in harmony with nature. Relationships between generations and community members play an important role. The poems are predominantly in flowing rhymeless free verse, although end rhymes are also used.

Along with poems, Petolai has published book reviews and compiled books on cultural history.

L. P. (Translated by I. A.)

Books in Estonian

Poetry
Meoma ümisevad tuuled: luulelugusid 2011–2018. Luige: Verb, 2019. 79 lk.
Hele, tuisklev ja nimetu. Tallinn: Hunt, 2025, 156 lk.