“Rain and the Twilight of Age”: A Poetry Collection by Leni Marlina (PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA)
Illustration of "Rain and the Twilight Years": A Poetry Collection by Leni Marlina (PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen Indonesia, Satu Pena Sumbar, Kreator Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA). Image Source: Starcom Indonesia's Artworks No. 925-103 (Assisted by AI).
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Rain and the Twilight of Age
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
Rain falls like silver needles,
stitching time into the skin of the earth.
We stand beneath its quiet weeping,
letting the weight of years
sink into our bones.
Droplets descend, one by one,
like moments slipping through our hands—
unstoppable, irretrievable.
And we know,
we are no longer children
who once ran laughing through the downpour,
unafraid of the cold.
Our years now tilt toward twilight—
do you still remember our birthdays?
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/2/
Blowing Out Candles on the Horizon
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
The wind drifts in from the north,
threading through the hollow ribs of time,
snuffing out the candles trembling on the horizon—
but it cannot silence the fire within me.
I blow out my own flame,
not to surrender,
but to let the stars reign
as the only light of this night.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/3/
The Tree That Remembers My Years
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
In the hush of the forest,
trees hold the memory of time.
They carve my name into their rings,
counting my years
in the secret veins of wood and silence.
I lean against their ancient spines,
ask the fallen leaves—
how many times have I been reborn,
wandering through the changing seasons?
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/4/
The River That Carries Your Name
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
I forgot your birthday,
but the river remembers.
It carries whispers of our stories,
leaves of prayers I never sent,
remorse dissolving in its restless tide.
May these waters find you,
soften the weight of passing days,
deliver the apology
I never found the courage to speak.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/5/
The Sun Never Forgets Your Birthday
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
The sun never forgets.
It rises unbidden,
spilling light without invitation.
If only I were like the sun,
needing no calendar to remind me,
no clock to tell me
that today, you turn another year.
But I am not light—
only a soul arriving too late.
So let its golden hands
carry my unspoken words:
may you shine on,
brighter than you ever dreamed.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/6/
The Waves That Call Your Name
A Poem by Leni Marlina
The ocean does not count the years,
but it chants your name in every tide.
Each wave that breaks upon the cliffs
murmurs syllables unchanged,
a prayer without a voice.
I forgot the day of your birth,
but the waves still send you their blessing.
May your years be like the sea—
deep, unbroken, infinite.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/7/
Birds Carrying the Years to the Sky
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
Each passing year,
birds lift the weight of time into the sky.
Their wings carve invisible lines in the clouds,
leaving trails
no hands can grasp.
You grow older,
like a bird drifting farther from its nest,
yet still searching for the wind
that will carry you home,
singing a song reborn.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/8/
The Mountain That Holds Time’s Secrets
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
At the mountain’s peak,
years are not measured by candles,
but by stones that stand unshaken,
holding their silence
against a thousand storms.
May your years be like the mountain—
unbowed, fearless of the wind,
keeping the secrets of time
without fear of falling.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/9/
The Flowers That Bloom Unbidden
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
I forgot your birthday,
but the garden did not.
Flowers unfold without reminders,
without waiting for celebration,
blossoming only because time commands it.
And you—
you are like those flowers.
You do not need a stage to shine.
You bloom on your own,
beautiful without asking.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
/10/
The Mist That Wraps Around Our Names
A Poem by Leni Marlina
[PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA]
In the hush of morning,
mist unfurls its quiet shroud,
blurring the roads,
softening the past.
I forgot the day of your birth,
but your name lingers in the air.
The mist carries it skyward,
hanging between the clouds,
waiting for the sun to call it back.
Canberra, Australia, 2012
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The poetry collection above which consists of poems No. 1- 10 were originally written bilingually (English-Indonesian) by Leni Marlina back in 2012, purely as a personal hobby and private collection. At that time, she was in the middle of her Master of Writing and Literature program (focusing on Literary Studies, Creative Writing & Children’s Literature) in Australia, supported by an Indonesian government scholarship. Years later, these poems were revisited, revised, and, for the first time, gradually published through digital platforms in 2025.
Leni has been an active force in the literary world, particularly as a member of the Indonesian Writers Association (SATU PENA, West Sumatra Chapter) since its inception in 2022, and as part of the Indonesian AI Era Creators Community. She is also a dedicated member of the International Poets and Literary Writers Community (ACC) in Shanghai, and in 2024, she was honored with the role of Indonesian Poetry Ambassador for the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association. Her literary journey even includes previous involvement with Victoria’s Writer Association in Australia. Since 2006, she has passionately served as a lecturer in the English Language and Literature Study Program at the Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang.
Beyond her academic and literary pursuits, Leni has been instrumental in establishing and leading few digital communities that focus on literature, language, education, and social empowerment. These include:
✨ 1. World Children’s Literature Community (WCLC) – https://shorturl.at/acFv1
✨ 2. Poetry-Pen International Community – A hub for global poetic expressions
✨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 – A space for thought-provoking discussions on language
✨ 6. Literature Talk Community – A gathering of minds passionate about literature
✨ 7. Translation Practice Community – Bridging languages through translation
✨8. English Language Learning, Literacy, and Literary Community (EL4C) – Supporting language and literacy growth
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