“Water and a River on the Brink of Death”: Selected Poems Collection (PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, AI Era Creators, FSM, ACC SHILA)
Illustration for Water and a River on the Brink of Death": Selected Poems Collection (PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Satu Pena Sumbar, AI Era Creators, FSM, ACC SHILA). Source of Image: Rastono's Picture Collection (Assisted by AI)."
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A River on the Brink of Death
Poem by Leni Marlina
I was once a bearer of tales,
carrying songs from the mountains to the sea.
Fish danced in my depths,
and small boats painted tranquil paths upon me.
Now, I wear a mask of gray,
my surface marred by tiny wounds
that grow deeper with time.
I cradle plastics,
metals, and the tears of a nature
I can no longer protect.
I flow with a heavy heart,
toward a sea that no longer smiles.
But in my solitude,
a faint hope lingers:
that one day,
I will again reflect the sky,
mirroring the world’s forgotten beauty.
Jakarta, Indonesia, 2013
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WATER
Poem by Rastono Sumardi
(PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen International Community, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI)
I am water—
a radiant stream poured from the Beloved’s hand.
I descend from the heavens, burdened with yearning,
seeking the earth to embrace in His mercy.
A single drop of me births a thousand gardens,
washing wounds carved by your own hands.
I come to bestow life,
yet you poison the depths of my being.
O humankind,
I ask not for worship, only for love.
I flow in rivers, I weep in rain,
but you fell the trees,
suffocating my breath with indifference.
I am the secret you have forsaken;
without me, your soul would writhe in thirst.
Without me, the earth would scorch into lifeless stone,
and even your prayers would choke in silence.
O humankind,
do not slay the source of your existence!
Do not mistake my gentleness for frailty,
for when I leave,
you will lament, but your cries will echo unheard.
Love me as you cherish your own being,
and I will flow through your veins,
become the dew that soothes your spirit,
the rain that blesses your days.
Luwuk, Central Sulawesi, indonesia, 2025
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Rastono Sumardi was born in Banyumas, March 10, 1974, and now resides in Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Universitas Negeri Gorontalo and a master’s in Development Economics from Universitas Sam Ratulangi Manado. By profession, he is a civil servant in the Banggai Regency Government. A passionate writer, Rastono contributes articles, short stories, and poems, while also actively exploring the realms of AI creation and app development. He serves as the Coordinator for Satu Pena and Kreator Era AI in Central Sulawesi and leads the Bonua Sastra KIM in Banggai Regency.
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The Sea, a Restless Realm
Poem by Leni Marlina
From the boundless depths of the sea,
waves carve ancient secrets into the sand.
Tiny boats navigate
an endless roar,
carrying prayers woven
from threads of silence.
The sky is no ceiling;
it is an eternal eye,
watching dreams drift
upon my surface.
The sea, a realm that never sleeps,
welcomes mighty ships
and comforts sunken rafts.
It is a keeper of stories,
a vault of a thousand years’ storms,
its tales never reaching an end.
But humans, who once heard the sea as their echo,
now turn it into prey.
Its depths measured,
its mysteries stolen.
The sea is forced awake,
pierced by ships’ engines,
and oil rigs stabbing its core.
Now, it carries more than rivers,
bearing witness to ravenous eyes
and boundless greed.
Warrnambool, Australia, 2012
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The Sea Speaks to the Stars
Poem by Leni Marlina
I am the sea,
where stars gaze at their reflections by night.
I guard the world’s secrets,
carrying massive ships on my back,
while sheltering tiny lives,
unseen by human eyes.
But now I whisper to the stars:
what should I do with this waste?
It arrives unbidden,
tainting my once-clear waters.
I try to accept it,
but my heart grows weary.
Humans, hear my words:
return me to my endless blue.
Do not let me become a graveyard of life.
I am the sea,
and I wish to live on,
to preserve your world.
Jakarta, Indonesia, 2013
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A Sea Waiting for Peace
Poem by Leni Marlina
I am the sea,
the nursemaid of countless lives.
From my depths rise tiny prayers,
whispered by fish and carried by the wind.
But my body is now scarred,
blackened by oil slicks,
pierced by plastics that wound me slowly.
Still, I try to give—
to lift waves as a sign
that I am alive.
I do not wish to be consumed by fury,
but my patience wears thin.
To humans,
I softly plead:
care for me as I have cared for you,
for without me,
this earth will lose its balance.
Jakarta, Indonesia, 2013
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This poetry collection, originally composed in both English and Indonesian by Leni Marlina in 2013, began as a personal endeavor. These poems were later revised and publicly shared for the first time through digital media in 2025.
Leni is an active member of the Indonesian Writers’ Association (SATU PENA), West Sumatra Chapter (since 2022), and part of the Indonesian Creators Community of AI Era. She also serves as Indonesia’s Poetry Ambassador for the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association and has previously contributed to the Victoria Writers’ Association in Australia. Since 2006, Leni has devoted herself as a lecturer in the Department of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang.
Leni has founded and led several communities focused on literature, education, and digital social initiatives:
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)
