SHE WHO HIDES YOU INSIDE THE RAIN

Poem by Leni Marlina

—

You think rain is merely water falling,
when in truth it is a small cemetery
for clouds unable to forget the sky.

It keeps your name
inside the scent of drenched earth,
until thunder cracks
like the slow breaking
of longing’s bones.

It loves you the way seasons do:
arriving uninvited,
departing while carrying away
half the color of the leaves.

And when the rain finally ceases,
a small puddle remains in its eyes
a place where your face keeps drowning
without ever fully dying.

—
Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/2/

HER LOVE WHICH IS AS WIDE AND AS DEEP AS THE SEA

Poem by Leni Marlina

—

You call love something simple,
like a glass of water on a dining table:
clear, still, obedient.

Do you not realize?
Inside it, an ocean bites the moon
until its light bleeds onto the surface.

Do you understand
her love for you is as vast and deep as the sea?
A place where thousands of wrecked ships sleep
while clutching names
that never found their way home.

The sea is never truly calm.
It merely knows
how to conceal its fury
behind the glittering spine of waves.
On certain nights it coughs salt,
reefs clatter in its throat,
small fish scatter
like splintered prayers.

She loves you like an undercurrent:
cold, dark, invisible
yet strong enough
to drag a human body downward
until the lungs forget
the ritual of breathing.

Your name drowns there,
first becoming an echo,
then slowly covered
by rust and green moss
along the walls of memory.

Her tears are no longer water,
but an ancient tide
rising from the floor of her eyes,
carrying the scent of old seaweed,
the odor of sunken iron ships,
the smell of wounds
secretly soaked for far too long.

Whenever she weeps,
the sea grows saltier.
Whenever she restrains her longing,
a whale somewhere in the far south
loses its migratory path.

Her body slowly transforms into the sea:
her veins becoming currents,
her chest becoming an abyss,
her hair turning into black seaweed
coiling around the ankles of loneliness.

And you merely stand upon the shore,
thinking her love resembles sunlight
caressing the skin of water,
when in truth
her love
is the pressure of thousands of meters below
crushing bones
without allowing destruction
a single sound.

If you descend deeper,
your skin begins to be devoured by cold,
your eardrums fill with ancient humming,
your mouth tastes metal
like biting rusted nails,
beneath the rain
your eyes burn dark blue.

And in that depth
you do not discover the sea.
You discover yourself:
a fragile creature
who has long called loss “destiny”
simply because you were too afraid
to call it love.

The sea is no graveyard.
It is a gigantic mouth
forever chewing memory
without ever swallowing it whole.
Everything abandoned by humans
promises, names, tears, bodies, sins
returns beneath it
as faithful shadows.

You stand at the shore
thinking you are witnessing nature,
while the sea slowly skins your face
with millions of salted tongues
licking through
the bones of your soul.

And her love continues breaking
against the walls of time,
again and again,
like waves that know
they were born to shatter
yet still endure,
still return,
as wide and as deep
as the sea itself.

—

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/3/

INSIDE THE BODY OF NIGHT

Poem by Leni Marlina

—

Night is never entirely black.
Inside it, thousands of silent mouths
feed upon human voices.

She sits alone
while the wall clock ticks
like soldiers’ boots
marching through the corridor of memory.

Her love for you becomes a bat:
flying without direction
yet forever returning
to the same cave of wounds.

Sometimes she clutches her pillow too tightly,
as though cotton
could replace
the warmth of human skin.

But night understands:
certain losses never sleep.
They merely pretend to be silent
beneath closed eyelids.

—

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/4/

THE BODY THAT TURNED TO ASH

Poem by Leni Marlina

—

In the end, love does not always become flowers.
Sometimes it becomes a small fire
quietly feeding
upon the timber of age
inside the chest.

She smiles before others
while inside her ribcage
thousands of charred birds
fall soundlessly.

You will never smell that sorrow,
for the oldest wounds
burn without smoke.

And when her body finally becomes ash,
the wind carries the remnants of her love
toward the sky
like a prayer
arriving too late before God.

—
Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/5/

YOU WHO ROSE FROM THE SEA

Poem by Leni Marlina

—

You once drowned too deeply
until your body filled
with coldness and the salt of memory.

Yet the sea failed
to devour you completely.
Within its darkest floor
you discovered your own heart,
still beating
like a small lighthouse
refusing extinction
beneath the assault of storms.

You learned:
not every loss
must become a graveyard.

So slowly you swam back
with lungs crowded by wounds
yet eyes sharper than before.

You stood at the edge of morning,
allowing sunlight
to dry the remaining salt upon your skin.

You did not beg the sea
to return anyone,
for at last you understood:
the first soul you must rescue
is yourself.

Then you walked forward
while the waves behind you
kept breaking again and again,
failing to pull you back
into drowning.

—

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

About the Poet – Leni Marlina

Leni Marlina is an Indonesian poet, writer, translator, and lecturer in the Department of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang, where she has served as a civil servant lecturer since 2006. Her creative and academic works move across poetry, fiction, essays, literary criticism, translation, and literacy studies, reflecting her enduring commitment to language as a medium of reflection, empathy, and human dignity.

Among her recent publications are the poetry collections The Beloved Teachers (2025) and L-BEAUMANITY: Love, Beauty, and Humanity (2025), as well as the educational trilogy English Stories for Literacy (2024–2025). Through these works, she explores the intersection of literature, education, and humanity, viewing writing both as a creative practice and as a moral dialogue with the world.

Leni began writing poetry intensively for her personal collection in 2000, during her early years as an undergraduate student in the Department of English Language and Literature at Universitas Negeri Padang. Her poetic voice developed more profoundly between 2011 and 2013 while pursuing a Master of Arts in Writing and Literature in Australia under a postgraduate scholarship from the Indonesian government. Since 2023, she has published her poetry more widely, seriously, and consistently through various digital literary platforms.

In addition to poetry, Leni actively writes short stories, essays, literary criticism, and reviews. She also translates literary and journalistic works for national and international digital platforms. Her writings frequently engage with themes of education, culture, literacy, peace, and humanitarian values, positioning literature as a bridge between knowledge, imagination, and social consciousness.

Alongside her academic career, Leni is deeply involved in literary journalism and literacy advocacy. She contributes as a freelance writer and editor for digital media platforms such as Suara Anak Negeri News and Negeri News, where she publishes articles on education, literature, culture, and humanitarian issues. Both platforms share a common mission: to give voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.

Leni is also the founder and head of several literary and literacy communities, including PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry Pen International Community (PPIC), Littalk-C Literary Talk Community, Translation Practice Community (Trans-PC), and the World Children’s Literature Community (WCLC). Through these communities, she promotes international literary dialogue, translation practice, and cross-cultural literacy development.

She is furthermore an active member of several literary organizations, including SatuPena West Sumatra, KEAI, and PLS. Since 2012, she has also been affiliated with the Victorian Writers Centre in Australia, and since 2024, she has been a member of the Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association (ACC SHILA).

Her contributions to literature have earned her national and international recognition. In 2025, she received the Best Writer Award from SatuPena West Sumatra during the 3rd International Minangkabau Literary Festival (IMLF-3), chaired by Sastri Bakry. In the same year, she was honored with the ACC International Literary Prize 2025 from the ACC Shanghai Huiyu International Literary Creative Media Centre and also received recognition from the international literary community The Rhythm of Vietnam.

Through her writing, teaching, and literary activism, Leni Marlina continues to cultivate spaces where literature, education, and humanity intersect, encouraging dialogue, nurturing creativity, and strengthening literacy culture across communities and beyond national borders.

——

Puisi Dwibahasa Leni Marlina “KAU YANG BANGKIT DARI LAUT ITU”

–

/1/

IA YANG MENYIMPANMU DI DALAM HUJAN

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Kau kira hujan hanya air jatuh
Padahal ia kuburan kecil bagi awan-awan yang gagal melupakan langit

Namamu disimpannya di sela bau tanah basah
Hingga petir terdengar seperti tulang rindu dipatahkan perlahan

Ia mencintaimu seperti musim: datang tanpa izin, pergi sambil membawa separuh warna daun

Saat hujan reda, ada genangan kecil tertinggal di matanya
Tempat wajahmu tenggelam tanpa pernah benar-benar mati

–

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

/2/

CINTANYA YANG SELUAS DAN SEDALAM LAUTAN

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–
Kau menyebut cinta itu sederhana,
seperti segelas air di meja makan: bening, diam, jinak
Tidakkah kau sadar?
Di dalamnya ada samudra menggigit bulan
hingga cahaya berdarah ke permukaan

Sadarkah kau cintanya padamu seluas dan sedalam lautan?
Tempat ribuan bangkai kapal tidur sambil memeluk nama-nama tak sempat pulang

Laut tak benar-benar tenang
Ia hanya pandai menyembunyikan amarah di balik punggung ombak berkilau
Di malam tertentu ia batuk garam
Karang-karang gemeretak di kerongkongannya
Ikan-ikan kecil berlarian seperti pecahan doa

Ia mencintaimu sebagai arus bawah: dingin, gelap, tak terlihat
Tapi mampu menarik tubuh manusia hingga paru-parunya lupa cara bernapas

Namamu tenggelam di sana
mula-mula menjadi gema
lalu karat dan lumut hijau tumbuh pelan di dinding ingatan

Air matanya bukan lagi air
melainkan pasang purba naik dari dasar matanya
membawa bau ganggang tua
bau besi kapal karam
bau luka yang terlalu lama direndam diam-diam

Saat ia menangis laut terasa lebih asin
Saat ia menahan rindu seekor paus jauh di selatan kehilangan arah migrasinya

Tubuhnya perlahan berubah laut
nadinya menjadi arus
Dadanya menjadi palung
Rambutnya menjelma ganggang hitam melilit kaki-kaki kesepian

Dan kau hanya berdiri di tepi
mengira cintanya seperti cahaya matahari memanjakan permukaan air
Padahal cintanya
adalah tekanan ribuan meter di bawah sana
yang meremukkan tulang
tanpa memberi suara pada kehancuran

Jika kau masuk lebih dalam kulitmu mulai ditelan dingin,
gendang telingamu dipenuhi dengung purba,
mulutmu penuh rasa logam seperti menggigit paku berkarat
di dasar hujan,
matamu terbakar biru gelap

Dan di kedalaman itu kau tidak menemukan laut
Kau menemukan dirimu sendiri makhluk rapuh yang selama ini menyebut kehilangan sebagai takdir karena terlalu takut menyebutnya cinta

Laut bukan kuburan
Ia mulut raksasa yang terus mengunyah ingatan tanpa kunjung habis menelannya
Segala yang dibuang manusia: janji, nama, tangis, tubuh, dosa hidup kembali di bawahnya sebagai bayangan setia

Kau berdiri di tepi laut mengira sedang melihat alam
Padahal laut sedang menguliti wajahmu perlahan
dengan jutaan lidah asin menjilat sampai ke tulang batin

Dan cintanya masih pecah berulang-ulang di dinding waktu
Seperti ombak yang tahu ia dilahirkan untuk hancur namun tetap bertahan dan terlahir kembali
seluas dan sedalam lautan itu sendiri

–

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/3/

DI DALAM TUBUH MALAM

Puisi: Leni Marlina

Malam tidak hitam sepenuhnya
Di dalamnya ada ribuan mulut sunyi sedang memakan suara manusia

Ia duduk sendirian
Sementara jam dinding berdetak seperti sepatu tentara di lorong ingatan

Cintanya padamu berubah kelelawar: terbang tanpa arah
namun selalu pulang ke gua luka yang sama

Kadang ia memeluk bantal terlalu erat
Seolah kapas dapat menggantikan hangat kulit manusia

Tapi malam tahu: beberapa kehilangan tidak pernah tidur
Mereka hanya pura-pura diam di bawah kelopak mata

–

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/4/

TUBUH YANG MENJADI ABU

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Pada akhirnya, cinta tidak selalu menjelma bunga
Kadang ia menjadi api kecil yang diam-diam memakan kayu usia dari dalam dada

Ia tersenyum di depan orang-orang sementara di rongga rusuknya ribuan burung hangus berjatuhan tanpa suara

Kau tak akan mencium bau kesedihan itu karena luka paling tua terbakar tanpa asap

Dan ketika tubuhnya akhirnya menjadi abu, angin membawa sisa-sisa cintanya ke langit seperti doa yang terlambat menemukan Tuhan

–

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

—

/5/

KAU YANG BANGKIT DARI LAUT ITU

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Kau pernah tenggelam terlalu dalam
Hingga tubuhmu dipenuhi dingin dan garam kenangan

Namun laut tidak berhasil memakanmu seluruhnya
Di dasar paling gelap itu
kau menemukan jantungmu sendiri
Masih berdetak seperti mercusuar kecil yang menolak padam diterjang badai

Kau belajar: tidak semua kehilangan harus menjadi kuburan
Maka perlahan kau berenang kembali
dengan paru-paru penuh luka
Namun mata lebih tajam dari sebelumnya

Kau berdiri di tepi pagi Membiarkan matahari mengeringkan sisa asin di kulitmu
Kau tak meminta laut mengembalikan siapa pun
Sebab akhirnya kau tahu: yang harus diselamatkan terlebih dahulu adalah dirimu sendiri

Lalu kau melangkah Sementara ombak di belakangmu pecah berkali-kali gagal membuatmu kembali tenggelam

–

Melbourne, Australia, 2013

———————-
Tentang Penyair – Leni Marlina

Leni Marlina adalah seorang penyair, penulis, penerjemah, dan dosen asal Indonesia di Departemen Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni, Universitas Negeri Padang, tempat ia mengabdi sebagai dosen pegawai negeri sipil sejak tahun 2006. Karya-karya kreatif dan akademiknya bergerak melintasi berbagai bidang, seperti puisi, fiksi, esai, kritik sastra, penerjemahan, dan kajian literasi, yang mencerminkan komitmennya yang berkelanjutan terhadap bahasa sebagai medium refleksi, empati, dan martabat kemanusiaan.

Di antara publikasi terbarunya adalah kumpulan puisi The Beloved Teachers (2025) dan L-BEAUMANITY: Love, Beauty, and Humanity (2025), serta trilogi pendidikan English Stories for Literacy (2024–2025). Melalui karya-karya tersebut, ia mengeksplorasi pertemuan antara sastra, pendidikan, dan kemanusiaan, dengan memandang tulisan bukan hanya sebagai praktik kreatif, tetapi juga sebagai dialog moral dengan dunia.

Leni mulai menulis puisi secara intensif untuk koleksi pribadi sejak tahun 2000, ketika ia menempuh studi di Departemen Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris, Universitas Negeri Padang. Perjalanan kepenyairannya berkembang semakin mendalam pada tahun 2011–2013 saat ia menjalani studi Master of Arts (Writing and Literature) di Australia melalui beasiswa pemerintah Indonesia. Sejak tahun 2023, ia mulai mempublikasikan puisi-puisinya secara lebih luas, serius, dan konsisten melalui berbagai platform sastra digital.

Selain puisi, Leni juga aktif menulis cerita pendek, esai, kritik sastra, dan ulasan. Ia turut menerjemahkan karya sastra dan teks jurnalistik untuk berbagai platform digital nasional maupun internasional. Tulisan-tulisannya banyak mengangkat tema pendidikan, budaya, literasi, perdamaian, dan nilai-nilai kemanusiaan, sehingga menempatkan sastra sebagai jembatan antara pengetahuan, imajinasi, dan kesadaran sosial.

Di samping karier akademiknya, Leni juga aktif dalam jurnalisme sastra dan advokasi literasi. Ia berkontribusi sebagai penulis dan editor lepas di platform media digital seperti Suara Anak Negeri News dan Negeri News, tempat ia menerbitkan tulisan mengenai pendidikan, sastra, budaya, dan isu-isu kemanusiaan. Kedua media tersebut memiliki semangat yang sama, yakni “memberi suara bagi mereka yang tidak dapat bersuara.”

Leni juga merupakan pendiri dan ketua dari sejumlah komunitas sastra dan literasi, di antaranya PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry Pen International Community (PPIC), Littalk-C Literary Talk Community, Translation Practice Community (Trans-PC), serta World Children’s Literature Community (WCLC). Melalui komunitas-komunitas ini, ia mendorong dialog sastra internasional, praktik penerjemahan, dan pengembangan literasi lintas budaya.

Selain itu, ia aktif dalam berbagai organisasi kepenulisan, termasuk SatuPena Sumatera Barat, KEAI, dan PLS. Sejak tahun 2012, ia juga berafiliasi dengan Victorian Writers Centre di Australia, dan sejak tahun 2024 menjadi anggota Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association (ACC SHILA).

Kontribusinya dalam dunia sastra telah memperoleh berbagai pengakuan, baik di tingkat nasional maupun internasional. Pada tahun 2025, ia menerima Best Writer Award dari SatuPena Sumatera Barat dalam ajang The 3rd International Minangkabau Literary Festival (IMLF-3) yang diketuai oleh Sastri Bakry. Pada tahun yang sama, ia juga dianugerahi ACC International Literary Prize 2025 dari ACC Shanghai Huiyu International Literary Creative Media Centre serta memperoleh penghargaan dari komunitas sastra internasional The Rhythm of Vietnam.

Melalui karya tulis, pengajaran, dan aktivisme sastranya, Leni Marlina terus menumbuhkan ruang-ruang pertemuan antara sastra, pendidikan, dan kemanusiaan, mendorong dialog, memelihara kreativitas, serta memperkuat budaya literasi di berbagai komunitas dan lintas batas dunia.