"When Your Tears Fall": A Special International Poetry Collection (The Members of ACC SHILA & Poetry-Pen International Community) Edited by Leni Marlina

/1/

When Your Tears Fall

Poem by Leni Marlina
(INDONESIA)

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I am water,
moving through your heart
long before you knew thirst.
I am the drop you refused,
yet the ocean you crave.

You clenched your fists,
as if to hold me back,
but I slipped through your fingers—
for I was never meant to be owned,
only to flow, to fill,
to dissolve into your breath.

You said, “I need no water.”
Yet when your tears fell,
wasn’t it I who returned to you—
not as a river, nor as rain,
but as a prayer
that could not be denied?

Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2019

/2/

A Drop of Water

Poem by Anna Keiko
(CHINA)

[ACC Shanghai Hueingfei International Literary Association; Poetry-Pen International Community, PPIPM-Indonesia]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

A drop of water
Dripping day after day
The creek became the sea

A ray of light
Shines year after year
A small seedling becomes a big tree

An encounter
A white sheet alike meets a coloured pen
Drawing a spring full of love.

Shanghai, China
February 14th, 2021

——————————————-
Anna Keiko (born in 1974, Wuyuan, China) is a renowned Chinese poet whose works have gained global recognition. A law graduate from East China University of Political Science and Law, she now resides in Shanghai, actively shaping the international literary landscape.

She serves as President and Chief Editor of Poetry Breeze Literature Society, Vice President of the Haipai Poetry Society, and China’s representative for the ITHACA Council (Spain). Her poetry, translated into over 30 languages and featured in 500+ publications across 40+ countries, spans six collections, including Absurd Language (Chile, 2023).

Anna has received numerous international honors, such as the Arona International Poetry Prize (Italy, 2023) and awards in Australia, Lebanon, Romania, and beyond.

/3/

The Light That Fled the Sun

Poem by Leni Marlina
(INDONESIA)

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I am light,
reckless in my flight from the sun,
believing I could burn alone.

I danced on the sea’s restless back,
cast myself upon mirrors,
thinking I could glow
without the fire that bore me.

But darkness came,
arriving not as a storm,
but as silence.
I shivered, calling for my mother—
Sun, where have you gone?

The moon sighed,
“I am but the borrowed glow of what you left behind.”
The stars whispered,
“Without the sun, I am only dust adrift in the void.”

And I knew then—
I am light,
but without my source,
I am nothing but the shadow
of my own longing.

Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2019

/4/

SUN MOON

Poem by José María Jiménez
(COLOMBIA)

[ACC Shanghai Hueingfei International Literary Association, Poetry-Pen International Community]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I call you sun moon
Because you are the sun that illuminates my days
moon that illuminates my nights

I call you sun moon
Because you are joy,
love in abundance.
Light in the darkness
Rain in the cruel drought

I call you sun moon
Because you brought light into my life
Your crystalline laughter
Is sweet melody to my ears
Nothing makes sense if I don’t see you laugh

Your eyes are transparent mirrors
That reflect the purity of your feelings
The whiteness of your soul
And what to say of your heart
Where there is no distinction of anything or anyone

I call you sun moon
Because your presence is a burning bonfire
But at the same time
Crystalline fountain where I quench my thirst
When my body cries out for caresses

Sun moon
This afternoon I saw it rain
and I watched the sun kiss the sea
The palm trees I saw their wings flutter
Applauding that moment
The impetuous waves,
the sands of the beaches.
They never stop caressing.

I began to meditate
What would become of the days without sun
Of the moonless nights
there would be no life
Because you are life
my life

Colombia, 2025
——————————————

José María Jiménez Peñaranda is a Colombian writer and poet born in San Juan del César, La Guajira. Throughout his career, he has played a fundamental role in promoting culture and literature in Colombia. He was the founder and president of the Corporación Cultural Asocultura for 12 years (2004-2016) and regional director of the Semanario Tiempos del Mundo, a Spanish-language newspaper published by News World Communications in Washington, D.C.

His impact on literature extends to the foundation of the First Departmental Writers’ Meeting and his participation as a representative of the Caribbean in international poetry gatherings. He is also the founder and director of the Semanario Planetario de Circulación Nacional. As an editor, he has worked on publishing books for national and international authors and has conducted literary workshops at various universities.

With 22 published works across different genres, Jiménez Peñaranda has a particular preference for novels, short stories, chronicles, and poetry. His childhood in La Guajira was influenced by an artistic environment, especially music, in a region that has been home to great composers and writers. Additionally, he highlights the connection of his homeland with Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez, whose grandparents, Silvestre Cotes and Tranquilina Cotes Iguarán, were born in Riohacha, Guajira.

His career began in journalism, writing columns, chronicles, and short stories for radio, newspapers, and magazines, earning him a place in Colombian and international literature. He currently resides in Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar.

/5/

I, You, and Ink

Poem by Leni Marlina
(INDONESIA)

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I am ink,
spilled from the words
you once whispered to God.
You tried to erase me,
but I was never written on paper—
I was carved into your soul.

I am the wound you sought to silence,
yet the prayer you uttered in your sleep.
You set me to fire,
but I did not become ash—
I became air,
drifting back through the breath you exhaled.

You think I am gone?
I have only changed form.
For words do not die—
they slip from lips to heart,
from heart to sky,
and return once more
as fate.

Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2019

/6/

Eye’s Earth and I

Poem by Bhawani Shankar Nial
(INDIA)

[ACC Shanggai Huingfei International Literary Association, Poetry-Pen International Community]

Odia-English Translator/Transcreator:
Tapan Kumar Rath
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

It was not so easy
to free oneself
from the earth in her eye
where there sunk
the great water falls,
the deep woods,
the cliffs and islands
blue skies, concealed
lakes and dews
on the morning grass.
Of course
it was not so easy
to leave the familiar
foes and friends,
Gods and demons
and even the aliens.

Though I’m able to
escape from her eye
and the earth in it
I left there
the horrible experiences
of the wars,
the successful stories
of love and
the art of living
with a meagre income.

I’m also away from
the silence that
leads me to salvation.

Kalahandi, Odisha
India, 2025

—————————–
* The original title of the poem above in Odia is “Akshira Prithvi”.
* The poem above was firstly transcreated from Odia into English by Tapan Kumar Rath
* Bhawani Shankar Nial is a renowned poet from Kalahandi, India, known for his poetry that raises global awareness on humanity and the environment. His works, including Lockdown, have been translated into more than 20 languages. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored as a Global Literary Figure at Kalahandi Utsav Ghumura-2025. His poetry bridges cultures and inspires worldwide.

/7/

Moon of Mine, Moon of Yours, Full Moon

Poem By Ramli Djafar
(INDONESIA)

Indonesian-English Translator: Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Night unfolds its ebon shroud,
Draping the world in hush and hollow,
A realm of shadow—
Boundless,
Bare,
Where even ghosts leave no trace.

No stars dare pierce this hush,
Yet yonder, in the veiled abyss,
A golden ember breathes—
A whisper of fire,
A hush of light,
Steady, slow,
Yet sovereign in its rise.

The night deepens,
Its silent herald gleams,
A silver beacon,
full and bold,
Bathing this fleeting world in splendor,
Rising,
Glowing,
Until it crowns the heavens whole.

At its pinnacle it lingers,
A monarch in celestial throne,
Yet time’s tide turns—
The silver dims,
The hush of dawn unfurls its veil,
And shadows fold into the sun.

A newborn day awakens,
The full moon wanes to whispering mist,
Dissolving in the trembling hush
Of morning’s breath—
Cold, quiet, infinite.

Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia, 2025

/8/

Memories Grow Out of the Cries of Birds

Poem by Olga Levadnaya
(RUSSIA)

[ACC Shanghai Hungfei International Literary Association, Poetry-Pen International Community]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I love white-faced Kazan,
whose feet
are washed by life-giving waters,
a Kremlin kissed by snow
still fragrant with autumn foliage
and the proliferation of the squares
like passionate farewells,
and the freckled houses
under the manes of silver poplars,
and the devout luminescence
of city streetlamps,
and people
grandly carrying their past
and the cries of birds
from which grow –
our memories.

———————————-
* Olga Levadnaya is Russian poet-visionary with world renown, Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, laureate of republican, All-Russian, international literary awards, member of republican, Russian and international literary unions, author of 16 books of poetry and prose in Russian, English, Tatar, Turkish, translated into 14 languages, author of more than 350 publications in magazines, anthologies in Russia and abroad, participant of numerous festivals, conferences, readings, Ambassador of Peace, European Poetry, poetry of International literature ACC Shanghai Huifeng (Shanghai, Huifeng), Member of the Assembly of the Peoples of Eurasia and Africa, Department of Arts and Cultures, Plenipotentiary Representative for Culture in Russia of the Republic of Birland (Africa), literary consultant of the Shanxi Academy of Literature, Science, Technology, Zhongshan Community of Poets (China), Honorary founding member of the World Day of K. Kavafisa (Greece, Egypt), coordinator of the International Literary Festival in Russia “Woman in Literature” (Mexico), creator and head of the Interregional Music and Poetry Festival “Handshake of the Republics”, the International Teleconference of the Republic of Moldova, the International Youth Music and Poetry Competition-Festival “On the Fabulous Shore of Kazanka” based on the works of Olga Levadna, artistic director Kazan poetic theater “Dialogue”.

/9/

The Grand Stage of Life

Poem By Ramli Djafar
(INDONESIA)

Indonesian-English Translator: Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

The curtain lifts, the stage unfolds,
Scene by scene, act by act,
Each soul steps forth—
Unveiling their craft,
Proclaiming their worth.

Some stand mute, their lips unshaken,
Yet in their gaze, a tempest stirs.
A smile, fragile as mist,
A mask to smother the fire within.

Some dance, swayed by their own desires,
Whirling, weaving,
Not for truth—
But for the eyes that watch,
The hands that applaud.

Some wield words like blades,
Tongues aflame with fiery duel—

Yet,
Who listens?
Who dares to understand?

Sympathy flickers,
Empathy lingers,
Yet true knowing—
A shadow too distant to grasp.

So many play their part,
Yet stumble upon the wrong stage.

Some bestow gifts in reckless plenty,
Scattering promises like autumn leaves—

But what is a vow,
If left to wither in the wind?

The stage swells with endless echoes,
The audience shouts,
Some in wonder, some in scorn,
Some laugh in rapture,
Some seethe in silence,
Some sit frozen—
While others fade into nothingness.

Time turns, the hour wanes,
The final act draws near.

But tell me—
What is this theater,
If not a mirror of hollow pride?
A spectacle of vanity,
A fleeting dance of shadows?

Remember,
Remember,
Remember—
Not words, but truth must reign.
Not echoes, but proof must rise.

Speak,
Act,
And let this stage—
Be more than mere illusion.

Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia, 2025

—————————————–
Ramli Djafar is an active and passionate member of several literary communities, including PPIPM-Indonesia (Poetry Community for Indonesian Society’s Inspirations), Satu Pena West Sumatra, Indonesian Creators of AI, Poetry-Pen International Community, and the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association. Through his involvement, he continues to share his love for poetry and creative writing, contributing to discussions, collaborations, and the growth of literature. His journey is one of continuous learning and dedication, connecting with fellow writers to inspire and be inspired.

/10/

Feed for One Day

Poem by
Timothée Bordenave
(FRANCE)

[ACC Shanghai Hungfei International Literary Association, Poetry-Pen International Community]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Once in the Quran,
I have read,
If you feed a poor for one day,
You will gain one day one your way,
To Paradise!
The prophet said.

Muhammad, Leader of Islam,
Blessed be you, wise and peaceful man,
I say this, being a Christian,
For I read your book, several times…

I wonder how of me yonder,
The Angels and Jinns know the name,
Here on Earth, so much,
I suer…

The Skies are promises, wonder!
Those who did too wrong will be blamed…
Your verses fed me – thanks, ever.

Paris, France, 2022
—————————————–

Timothée Bordenave is a French artist, photographer, and writer from Paris, deeply influenced by surrealism, cubism, and expressionism. With an early passion for art, he initially pursued law studies at Paris II University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Private Law in 2006. However, his artistic calling led him to a diverse creative journey, spanning visual arts, literature, poetry, philosophy, and music.

Bordenave has exhibited extensively in France and internationally, with solo and collective shows at notable venues such as Galerie Fabrique Contemporaine, L’Entracte, and East End Collective in San Francisco. His works explore themes of mysticism, identity, and human consciousness, often blending traditional techniques with modern artistic expressions.

Beyond the visual arts, Bordenave is a prolific writer, having published numerous poetry collections, novellas, and essays, including La langue des oiseaux (2023) and Pilgrimage (2023). He has also contributed to global poetry anthologies such as Canto Planetario (2023). His literary and philosophical interests extend to blogging, music production, and digital art platforms.

His dedication to art and literature has made him an active participant in France’s creative scene, organizing exhibitions and championing fellow artists. Notably, he was recognized as the youngest poet ever admitted and published by the Société des Poètes Français, surpassing the record held by Louis Aragon.

/11/

Longing That Wanders in Breath

Poem by Leni Marlina
(INDONESIA)

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I am no longer the body you once knew,
but the wind that sways through the reeds,
whispering your name in hush-soft echoes,
a prayer woven into the hush of night.

Where have you gone, pulse of my veins?
The ocean has swallowed the footprints you left,
while the branches murmur in sorrowed refrain,
“The path home is lost to silence.”

Yet the wind forgets not its way.
It will roam until it finds the axis
where longing surrenders to stillness.

Come back, before the wind turns foreign
to the trees you left behind.

Padang, West Sumatra,
Indonesia, 2019

/13/

Love Day

Poem by Mridula Bhattacharjee

[ACC Shanghai Hungfei International Literary Association, Poetry-Pen International Community]

★★★★★★★★★★★★★

By piercing huge darkness
Wake up from sleeping
people
Wake up from a dormant
house of dirty
Love to people in nature.

In the air of the spring
Festival to erase
caste-religion
Be overwhelmed –
The mind of every human
being.

In eternal love on
Love Day
Floting is the next dream
life.

Silchar, India, 2025

———————–‐———————
Mridula Bhattacharjee an International poet, writer. Living in Silchar from India. She is the founder of Editor-in-chief Literary Magazine “SRIJONI” & “Srijoni Barta”. Her ten books have been published. She is invited to attend the National & International poetry festival. Her Poem translates more than 6 languages. She is a poet of the world record book “HYPERPOEM ” & published her poem of “POLIS” magazine. Her poetry published in many National & International Magazines.
Mridula Bhattacharjee is also a Social worker & Journalist of Bengali News papers. She has many award winners in poetry, story writing & journalism. Many Honoured of Literature, Social & Cultural society.

/13/

A River That Flows for Love

Poem by Leni Marlina
(INDONESIA)

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

This river does not choose its course—
it flows, summoned by love to the sea.
As your heart drifts toward a distant shore,
it leaves a weeping spring behind.

But is farewell not a mere illusion?
The water you drink in foreign lands
is but the rain of your birthplace’s sky.
And should you return,
each ripple in this river will call your name.

Fear not the journey home—
for even the sea, vast as it may stretch,
will always ache for the arms of the river.

Padang, West Sumatra,
Indonesia, 2019

/14/

Where is Freedom?

Poem by S.K. Saadman
(BANGLADESH)

[ACC Shanghai Hungfei International Literary Association, Poetry-Pen International Community]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

When people are deprived of their basic rights,
when they are tired of fighting hunger and poverty,
then freedom does not come anymore.
That taste of freedom never comes back.

All animals on earth are free. Except for humans.
All creatures of creation should be free in the stream of values of life.
Even sub-zoos, sub-zoos are also guided by their own life cycle.

But man and ants take away their freedom,
Cultivating tribal slavery.
He who created did not imprison.
Bane, the lord of men, the god of men,
People have been blocked, speechless.

The Creator has made man free by means of livelihood,
Where life needs you,
you can go as you wish,
there are mountains,
walls of flowing fountains of cool peace.

But people make the whole world a barbed wire fence, making a prison.
Built a prison,
crying because of hunger.

Humanity is defeated today.
Where did I get that freedom?
He who seeks freedom is like an unsatisfied peddler on the road.

Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2025

————————————–
Shakawath Hossin Saadma’n, known by his literary pseudonym S.K. Saadma’n, is a poet, novelist, lyricist, scriptwriter, and educator from Chattogram, Bangladesh. He is an active member of ACC SHILA (ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association) and a passionate advocate for literature and creative expression.

Born on October 15, 1991, in Chattogram, S.K. Saadma’n has always been deeply connected to the world of words. He pursued a BBA and an MBA in Marketing from Southern University, equipping himself with both literary creativity and business acumen. His professional journey led him to become an assistant teacher at Quantum Cosmo School & College, where he inspires young minds to explore the beauty of language and storytelling.

Saadma’n’s literary works span poetry, short stories, novels, song lyrics, and scripts, written in both English and Bengali. His poetry often delves into themes of human emotions, existential reflections, and the intricate beauty of nature, while his prose captures the depth of human experiences.

Beyond his literary pursuits, he is deeply involved in social work, using his writing and public speaking skills to mentor aspiring writers through DYD Writers. His dedication to both literature and community engagement highlights his belief that words have the power to inspire change and touch lives.

With a growing presence in international literary circles, S.K. Saadma’n continues to carve a unique path in contemporary literature, blending artistic expression with profound storytelling.

/15/

Love and Tears, Hand in Hand

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, ACC SHILA]
★★★★★★★★★★★★★

We walk, you and I,
through streets paved with both light and shadow,
where laughter is a fleeting bird
and sorrow lingers like the hush before a storm.

Your hands, once steady as stone,
now tremble with the weight of unspoken dreams,
and my eyes, once filled with sky,
now hold oceans too deep to tame.

Yet still, we walk—
through days that steal our breath,
through nights that stitch our wounds with silence,
through the weight of a world
that does not wait for lovers to catch their breath.

Tears fall, not as defeat,
but as rivers carving their path through stone.
Love, not as shelter,
but as fire we carry in our palms,
burning, warming, reminding—
we are still here.

So if the stars fall,
let them.
If the wind howls,
let it.
For we have already weathered storms
that the sky has yet to name.

And through love,
through tears,
we will name the world anew.

Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2019

——————————————-

Leni Marlina is an Indonesian poet, writer, and educator whose works explore themes of resilience, healing, and cultural identity. A distinguished member of the literary world, she is affiliated with Indonesian Writers Community of SATU PENA -West Sumatra, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, and the Forum Siti Manggopoh (FSM). Internationally, she is an active member of the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association (ACC SHILA), serving as Indonesia’s Poetry Ambassador, and has contributed to the Victoria Writers Association in Australia.

Since 2006, Leni has been a dedicated lecturer in the Department of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP), Indonesia. In addition to her academic career, she has also contributed as a columnist and journalist, enriching public discourse with her insights.

Leni’s passion for literature extends beyond her own writing. She has founded and leads several impactful communities and initiatives that focus on language, literature, literacy, and social empowerment. These include:

1. World Children’s Literature Community (WCLC): https://shorturl.at/acFv1
2. Poetry-Pen International Community
3. PPIPM (Pondok Puisi Inspirasi Masyarakat), the Poetry Community of Indonesian Society’s Inspirations: https://shorturl.at/2eTSB; https://shorturl.at/tHjRI
4. Starcom Indonesia Community (Starmoonsun Edupreneur Community Indonesia):
https://rb.gy/5c1b02
5. Linguistic Talk Community
6. Literature Talk Community
7. Translation Practice Community
8. English Languange Learning, Literacy, Literary Community (EL4C)

Leni Marlina’s work exemplifies a profound commitment to fostering creativity, education, cultural exchange, and social advocacy. Her poetry serves as a bridge between personal reflection and universal themes, giving her influential voice in contemporary literature.

when-your-tears-…-by-leni-marlina