“O Seeker of Joy”: Kumpulan Puisi (PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)

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O Seeker of Joy

A Poem by Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA]

O seeker of joy,
I have seen you wandering rivers,
chasing a source that never was.

You dive into the mirror’s depths,
only to meet yourself again.
You stretch your hands to the sky,
but the stars remain unclaimed.

If joy were the wind,
why would you seek to hold it?
If joy were light,
why would you lock it in a chest?

Be still—
let it come like dusk upon the hills.
For joy is not found by those who hunger,
but by those who starve
for the taste of its fleeting presence.

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra,
INDONESIA, 2003

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Joy Like a Desert Wind

A Poem by Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA]

Once, I saw joy—
it came like a desert wind,
heavy with the scent of rain,
but when I reached for it,
it vanished,
leaving only salt upon my palm.

I whispered, “Stay with me!”
But it laughed,
danced like a mirage on trembling waters,
whispering back,
“I exist only when you cease to seek me.”

So I stood in silence,
and joy bloomed within my chest.
I chased it,
and it died in my grasp.

Is not joy a bird
that sings only when left unchained?

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra,
INDONESIA, 2003

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When the Moon Wept Upon the Lake

A Poem by Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA]

Once, I saw the moon weeping upon a lake,
and the lake, in its stillness, asked,
“Why do you grieve, O light?
Is it not the dark that grants you glow?”

The moon fell silent, its shimmer trembling,
and in that hush, I understood—
joy is never alone.
It wears sorrow
as the wind wears the night.

Then I asked myself,
if I banish sorrow,
do I not also banish joy?

And so I let them nest within me,
no longer asking one to leave.

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra,
INDONESIA, 2003

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Are You Happy?

A Poem by Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA]

Once, I saw an old man,
seated beneath an ancient tree,
smiling without reason.

I asked him, “Are you happy?”
He laughed,
his voice like the hush of falling leaves,
and said,
“Does the river ask the sea
if it is full?”

I fell into silence.
And in that silence,
I found joy
that asked for no name.

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra,
INDONESIA, 2003

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If You Would Know Joy

A Poem by Leni Marlina

[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA]

Would you know joy?
Be as the cave that cradles echoes,
as the sky, unjealous of the drifting clouds,
as the sea that welcomes the river’s muddied touch.

Joy is not a thing you own,
but a wind moving through you.
Unbar your soul like an open window,
and let the light pour in—
not to be captured,
but to be given away.

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra,
INDONESIA, 2003

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This collection of poems (No.1 – 5) was originally written bilingually (English-Indonesia) by Leni Marlina in 2003. The poems were later revisited, revised, and after 22 years firstly published digitally in 2025.

Leni Marlina is a celebrated Indonesian poet, writer, and educator whose works explore various themes of resilience, healing, and cultural identity, friendship, religy, natural environment, education, the voice of voiceless. A distinguished member of the literary world, she is affiliated with Indonesian Writer of SATU PENA- Indonesia, 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 part-time 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)