From Root to a Towering Tree

Poem by Leni Marlina

–

You who are so steadfast
to me you grow like a root,
writing the earth’s secrets with the tips of your fingers

beneath the soil
darkness carries the scent of iron,
the earth sighs in your ears
like an old mother telling stories of seasons

you feel the world without eyes,
tasting the flavor of minerals,
hearing the footsteps of humans above your head
like a distant thunder from a war you do not understand

yet you keep growing
quietly
drawing light from within the dark,
until one day you become
a towering tree above the wounded earth

your leaves clap softly in the wind
as though telling the world:
life always chooses to grow
even when history is sometimes forced to destroy

–

Melbourne -Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

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/2/

The Rain That Remembers the Sea

Poem by Leni Marlina

–

do not ask me why:
you arrive like rain
carrying the scent of salt,
do not ask why the sky wrings the clouds
like eyes that have held back tears too long

your raindrops fall
like thousands of letters sent to the earth,
the roofs of the city listen to you,
the iron window bars breathe your rain,
children open their palms
to taste your gentle coldness

within your drops is kept
the voice of the sea speaking to the earth,
about the long journey of water
that never chooses war,
even when it falls upon bleeding ground,
and suddenly the world feels quieter
cleaner
more possible to begin again

–

Melbourne -Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/3/

You and the River

Poem by Leni Marlina

–

You flow like a river
that has memorized the language of stone,
the water in your body glimmers like glass remembering the sky

the stones grumble on the riverbed
yet you answer them with patience,
your voice is a long music played by the earth for thousands of years

the fish read the reflection of your face,
the wind tastes your coolness,
the leaves listen to your stories about the upstream

you do not fight the stones,
you move around them
and through that journey
you show the world:
that the greatest strength
is not destroying obstacles,
but flowing,
turning every barrier
into a path toward the future

–

Melbourne -Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/4/

The Lighthouse That Refuses the Dark

Poem by Leni Marlina

–

in my eyes you stand firm there like a lighthouse
that nails light onto the forehead of night

waves scream at your feet,
the wind bites the walls of your body,
the sea pounds the stone doors
with the fists of storms,
yet the lamp in your eyes
keeps turning slowly,
your light licks the fog,
tastes the salt of the sea,
hears the weeping of distant ships

sailors read their direction from your beacon,
they confess that a single small light that chooses to keep burning
can refuse the vastness of darkness

–

Melbourne -Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/5/

A Small Seed

Poem by Leni Marlina

–

You are born like a small seed
like a silent dot on the palm of time,
yet when the soil swallows you
you hear the world from within the dark

old roots whisper to you
about the wind
about birds
about forests that once stood here

the soil smells of damp secrets
water seeps into your body
like a hand awakening a dream

when you grow the forest begins dreaming branches of the future,
leaves applaud in the wind,
birds sing the morning,
and then you will understand:
that the future of the world is born from small seeds
brave enough to grow,
not only from those who hold crowns and power

–

Melbourne -Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/6/

You Become Light

Poem by Leni Marlina

–

You become light
after fire devours the night within your chest,
wounds burn sending the smell of ash to the sky,
ashes cling to the skin of time,
the wind scatters fragments of memory

yet in the midst of the ruins
something pulses quietly
like an ember that refuses to die

you hear the dawn
walking slowly along the edge of the sky,
light tastes the morning air,
birds open their wings
like a new page in the book of day

and the world learns again
the lesson it always struggles to remember:
that humans were not born to become fire,
but to become light
that arrives after the fire is gone

–

Melbourne -Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—-

About the Poet – Leni Marlina

Leni Marlina is an Indonesian poet, writer, translator, and lecturer in the Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Arts, at 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, presenting writing as both a creative practice and a moral dialogue with the world.

Beyond poetry, Leni actively writes short stories, essays, literary criticism, and reviews. She also translates literary and journalistic texts for various 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 awareness.

Alongside her academic career, Leni is actively involved in literary journalism and literacy advocacy. She contributes as a freelance writer and editor to 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: “giving voice to those who cannot speak.”

Leni is also the founder and chairperson of several literary and literacy communities, including the 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 literacy development.

In addition, she is an active member of several writers’ organizations, including SatuPena West Sumatra, KEAI, and PLS. Since 2012, she has also been affiliated with the Victorian Writers Centre in Australia. In 2024, she became a member of the Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association (ACC SHILA), further expanding her engagement with international literary networks.

Her contributions to literature have received recognition both nationally and internationally. In 2025, she received the Best Writer Award from SatuPena West Sumatra during the 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 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 meet, encouraging dialogue, nurturing creativity, and strengthening the culture of literacy across communities and borders.

—–

Indonesian Version of the Poems Above

Kumpulan Puisi Leni Marlina “Engkau yang Aku Kenal”

/1/

Dari Akar Menjadi Pohon Menjulang

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Engkau begitu tegar
bagiku kau tumbuh bagaikan akar,
menulis rahasia bumi dengan ujung-ujung jarimu

di bawah tanah
gelap memiliki bau besi,
tanah berdesah di telingamu
seperti ibu tua bercerita tentang musim

kau meraba dunia tanpa mata,
mencicipi rasa mineral,
mendengar langkah manusia di atas kepalamu
seperti gemuruh jauh dari perang yang tak kau pahami

namun kau tetap tumbuh
diam-diam
menyerap cahaya dari dalam gelap,
hingga suatu hari kau menjelma jadi
pohon menjulang di atas luka bumi

daun-daunmu bertepuk pelan di angin
seolah mengatakan kepada dunia:
kehidupan selalu memilih tumbuh
meski sejarah kadang terpaksa menghancurkan

–

Melbourne, Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/2/

Hujan yang Mengingat Laut

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

jangan Engkau tanyakan kenapa bagiku kau hadir seperti hujan membawa aroma garam,
jangan kau tanyakan kenapa langit memeras awan
seperti mata terlalu lama menahan tangis

tetesan hujanmu jatuh
seperti ribuan surat kepada tanah,
atap-atap kota mendengarmu,
besi-besi jendela mencium aroma hujanmu,
anak-anak membuka telapak tangan
mencicipi dinginmu yang lembut

dalam tetesmu tersimpan
suara laut berbicara kepada bumi,
tentang perjalanan panjang air
yang tak pernah memilih perang,
meski jatuh di tanah yang berdarah-darah,
dengan hukanmu dunia tiba-tiba terasa lebih sunyi
lebih bersih
lebih mungkin untuk memulai kembali

–

Melbourne, Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

/3/

Engkau dan Sungai

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Engkau mengalir seperti sungai menghafal bahasa batu,
air di tubuhmu berkilau
seperti kaca mengingat langit

batu-batu menggerutu di dasar aliran
namun kau menjawabnya dengan kesabaran,
suaramu
adalah musik panjang
yang dimainkan bumi sejak ribuan tahun

ikan-ikan membaca bayangan wajahmu
angin mencicipi dinginmu
daun-daun mendengarkan ceritamu tentang hulu

Engkau tak melawan batu
kau mengelilinginya
dan dari perjalanan itu
kau tunjukkan dunia:
bahwa kekuatan terbesar
bukan menghancurkan rintangan,
tapi mengalir,
menjadikan rintangan menjadi jalan menuju masa depan

–

Melbourne, Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

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/4/

Mercusuar yang Menolak Luasnya Gelap

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

di mataku engkau berdiri tegar di sana
laksana mercusuar
yang memaku cahaya di dahi malam

ombak menjerit di kakimu,
angin menggigit dinding tubuhmu,
laut memukul pintu-pintu batu
dengan tangan badai,
namun lampu di matamu
tetap berputar perlahan,
cahayamu menjilat kabut,
mencicipi asin air laut,
mendengar tangisan kapal-kapal jauh

para pelaut membaca arah dari lampu mercusuarmu,
mereka mengakui
bahwa satu cahaya kecil
yang memilih tetap menyala
dapat menolak
gelap yang sangat luas

–

Melbourne, Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/5/

Benih Kecil

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Engkau lahir bagaikan benih kecil
seperti titik sunyi di telapak waktu,
namun ketika tanah menelanmu
kau mendengar dunia dari dalam gelap

akar-akar tua berbisik kepadamu
tentang angin
tentang burung
tentang hutan yang pernah berdiri di sini

tanah berbau lembab dan rahasia
air meresap ke tubuhmu
seperti tangan membangunkan mimpi

saat kau tumbuh
hutan mulai memimpinkan
ranting-ranting masa depan,
daun-daun bertepuk di angin
burung-burung menyanyikan pagi

saat itu kau akan mengerti:
bahwa masa depan dunia
lahir dari benih kecil
yang berani tumbuh,
bukan hanya dari pemegang mahkota dan kuasa

–

Melbourne, Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

—

/6/

Kau Berubah Menjadi Cahaya

Puisi: Leni Marlina

–

Engkau berubah menjadi cahaya
setelah api memakan malam di dadamu

luka-luka terbakar
mengirim bau hangus ke langit
abu menempel di kulit waktu
angin meniupkan serpih-serpih kenangan

namun di tengah reruntuhan itu
sesuatu berdenyut pelan
seperti bara yang menolak mati

Engkau mendengar fajar
berjalan perlahan di kaki langit
cahaya mencicipi udara pagi
burung-burung membuka sayapnya
seperti halaman baru dalam kitab hari

dan dunia belajar lagi
pelajaran yang selalu sulit diingat:
bahwa manusia
tak lahir untuk menjadi api
melainkan
untuk menjadi cahaya
yang datang
setelah api berhenti

–
Melbourne, Australia, PPIC (Poetry-Pen International Community), 2013

–

Tentang Penyair – Leni Marlina

Leni Marlina adalah seorang penyair, penulis, penerjemah, dan dosen asal Indonesia di Departemen Bahasa 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 ini, ia mengeksplorasi pertemuan antara sastra, pendidikan, dan kemanusiaan, dengan memandang tulisan sebagai praktik kreatif sekaligus dialog moral dengan dunia.

Selain menulis puisi, Leni juga aktif menulis cerita pendek, esai, kritik sastra, dan ulasan. Ia juga menerjemahkan teks sastra dan jurnalistik untuk berbagai platform digital nasional dan internasional. Tulisan-tulisannya sering 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 artikel tentang pendidikan, sastra, budaya, dan isu-isu kemanusiaan. Kedua platform tersebut memiliki misi yang sama, yaitu “memberi suara bagi mereka yang tidak dapat bersuara.”

Leni juga merupakan pendiri dan ketua dari beberapa 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, serta pengembangan literasi lintas budaya.

Selain itu, ia juga merupakan anggota aktif di beberapa organisasi kepenulisan, termasuk SatuPena Sumatera Barat, KEAI, dan PLS. Sejak tahun 2012, ia juga berafiliasi dengan Victorian Writers Centre di Australia & sejak tahun 2024 juga berrgabung sebagai anggota Shanghai Huifeng International Literarty 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 acara 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 menerima 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.