“THE SKY NEVER REPEATS THE COLOR OF YOUR BIRTH”: A Collection of Poems by Leni Marlina (UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia)
/1/
THE SKY NEVER REPEATS THE COLOR OF YOUR BIRTH
Poem by Leni Marlina
[UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia]
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Today,
time pauses gently upon my chest—
not from weariness,
but because the universe whispers:
you are not born twice.
Once is enough to stir the world,
and hush its thunder.
The sky never repeats the color of your birth,
and even twilight trembles to mimic your breath.
I cradle your years
like stars embracing emptiness,
which, in its silence, makes them glow.
You—
the only season never written on a calendar,
for your birth alone
suffices to become a verse
for a lover’s faith.
Padang, West Sumatra,
Indonesia, 2025
/2/
I ENTRUST THIS WISH TO THE WIND
Poem by Leni Marlina
[UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia]
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
I entrust this wish to the wind—
folded from tender time
and delivered when the sun
pauses lightly on your shoulder.
No ink stains this letter,
only dust of longing and gratitude
spinning like ash
from a flame that never dies.
No need to read it,
just feel the hush
rising slowly in your chest—
there, my wish plants prayers,
so you may always offer shade
to those who come and go.
Happy birthday,
to you
who was never truly far
from a soul loving you in silence.
Padang, West Sumatra,
Indonesia, 2025
/3/
TODAY IS NOT ABOUT CELEBRATION
Poem by Leni Marlina
[UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia]
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Today is not about celebration,
but about prayer
born from the veins of time.
Not gifts I hold,
but seasons
that endure within you.
You are the water
dropping into the well of my body—
a body that often forgets how to live.
And I am the soil
learning to raise you
without binding.
If the sky later bursts into light,
I will know:
it is no lightning,
but the cosmos rejoicing
at your being,
measured not by age.
Padang, West Sumatra,
Indonesia, 2025
/4/
TO KNOW YOUR PRESENCE
Poem by Leni Marlina
[UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia]
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Today,
I write no greeting,
for every letter
has already become you.
The letter “a” is your beginning,
the first eye greeting the world.
The letter “n” is breath,
you exhale into time to keep it alive.
I let this page stay blank,
for silence has filled it with echoes:
your name—
repeating not only through years,
but in the universe’s pulse.
Happy birthday
to you
who, even without words,
has become poetry
to all who know your presence.
Padang, West Sumatra, 2025
/5/
I KNOW WHO YOU ARE
Poem by Leni Marlina
[UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia]
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
I know who you are:
not merely a date upon the calendar,
but a presence
that precedes time.
I await not your age,
but the space
capable of reshaping life’s meaning.
You are the light
that never touches the ground,
yet teaches my shadow
to stand.
And if the world fails
to name your birth,
then let me become a silent page
where you reside—
without candles,
without feasts,
only your presence
that never fades.
Padang, West Sumatra, 2025
/6/
A DATE THE SKY KEEPS SECRET
Poem by Leni Marlina
[UNP Padang, PPIPM-Indonesia, PPIC, Satu Pen West Sumatra, KEAI, ASM, Literacy Community, ACC SHILA, WPM-Indonesia]
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
There is a date never written
on the world’s calendars—
because God has hidden it
inside a beat known only to the heavens.
Today,
perhaps only a falling leaf understands
that you are born again
in the clearest silence.
No one knows
your birthday is a secret angels guard
so it never turns to mere wishes.
So I write this,
not to be celebrated,
but remembered
as a birth
requiring no cake—only a soul awakened.
Padang, West Sumatra,
Indonesia, 2025
—————————————-
A Special Note on Your Birthday from the Poet, Leni Marlina
Happy Birthday to You
Dear the ones I adore and respect wherever you are now,
Happy birthday to you—
whether near or far from the edge of my sight,
you remain ever close to the center of my heart,
for the strength of your love and the sincerity of your soul
are beyond what time could ever repay.
Your name I keep hidden in the deepest chamber of my heart,
but my gratitude, my pride, and my prayer for you
cannot be kept from the world.
On your birthday, I bring no gift of gold or jewels,
but instead, I offer a prayer—
that the Divine grant you lasting health,
useful knowledge, ease and joy in life,
tranquility of soul,
sustained blessings, forgiveness,
and God’s boundless mercy and love.
Ameen.
Padang, West Sumatra, June 2025
——————————————
Leni Marlina – A Literary Voice from West Sumatra to the World
Leni Marlina is a writer, poet, and academic from West Sumatra, Indonesia. Deeply rooted in the realms of literature and education, she has long been a passionate advocate for literacy movements across local, national, and international platforms.
Since 2022, Leni has been an active member of the Indonesian Writers Association (SATU PENA) – West Sumatra Chapter, under the leadership of Chairperson Sastri Bakry and Secretary Armaidi Tanjung.
In May 2025, she was honored with the prestigious title of Outstanding Writer of the Year by SATU PENA West Sumatra during the Gala Dinner of the 3rd International Minangkabau Literacy Festival (IMLF-3), held at the Governor’s Auditorium in West Sumatra on May 9th, 2025. The recognition was a tribute to her significant contributions to literature and her dedication to promoting literary culture in Indonesia and beyond.
Internationally, Leni is a member of the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association (ACC SHILA), led by renowned Chinese poet Anna Keiko. Since 2024, she has served as Indonesia’s Poetry Ambassador for ACC SHILA, and in 2025, she was appointed Chief Representative of Poetry in Asia for the ACC SHILA Ambassadorial Group—fostering poetic and cultural diplomacy between Indonesia and the global community.
That same year, she also joined the World Poetry Movement (WPM) – Indonesia, coordinated by Sastri Bakry, with the movement’s global headquarters based in Colombia.
Earlier in her career, while pursuing her Master’s degree in Writing and Literature in Australia (2011–2013), Leni became a member of the Victorian Writers Association, further enriching her engagement with international literary circles.
In addition to her accolades and memberships, Leni organized a major literary event on May 31, 2025: Poetry BLaD (Poetry Book Launching and Discussion) and IOSoP (International Online Seminar on Poetry). The program was sponsored by Suara Anak Negeri News in collaboration with the English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang—showcasing her commitment to developing literary forums and nurturing poetic dialogue across cultures.
Since 2006, Leni has served as a lecturer at the Department of English Literature, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang, where she actively contributes to the university’s threefold mission: teaching, research, and community service. She mentors students in language, literature, creative writing, and academic composition.
Beyond the walls of academia, Leni also engages as a freelance journalist, columnist, editor, and digital media contributor. Her published works can be accessed by the public via this official link:
🔗 https://suaraanaknegerinews.com/category/puisi-leni-marlina-bagi-anak-bangsa/
Her passion for literacy and community development is reflected in several social and digital-based initiatives she founded and leads, including:
1. World Children’s Literature Community (WCLC) – Visit WCLC
2. Poetry-Pen International Community (PPIC)
3. PPIPM-Indonesia (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
Starcom
5. Linguistic Talk Community (Ling-TC)
6. Literature Talk Community (Littalk-C)
7. Translation Practice Community (Trans-PC)
8. English Language Learning, Literacy, and Literary Community (EL4C)
Through her literary works, creative writings, and literacy-based social movements, Leni Marlina continues to ignite the flame of inspiration—from campus to community, from word to meaning, from local wisdom to the global stage—alongside her mentors, colleagues, fellow writers, and loyal readers from Indonesia and beyond.
The Indonesian version of the poems above is available to be accessed by public in this following official link:
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