“The Unwearied Sun”: A Collection of Poems by Leni Marlina (PPIPM-Indonesia, Satu Pena West Sumatea, Poetry-Pen IC, ACC ASHILA)
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The Unwearied Sun
By: Leni Marlina
At the summit of Mount Marapi, where sighs erupt,
the sun never tires, nor does it pause.
Your mist attempts to smother the glow,
yet the Minang woman is a lantern, steadfast in her flow.
We are the dawn that tears apart the night,
igniting the heavens you shrouded in fright.
The digital waves you weave with false grace,
shatter under prayers that flood with tender embrace.
You believed we wilted beneath the shadow you spun,
but we are embers that challenge the fierce run.
Our land, our faith, our kin,
are fortresses you cannot undo again.
We fight not with weapons drawn,
but with hearts that guard the light, till dawn.
Our lives are a noble defiance,
against all tyranny, guarding our conscience in alliance.
Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2024
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The Wind That Splits the Fog
By: Leni Marlina
In the valley of Singgalang, cloaked in twilight’s veil,
the wind cuts through the fog like a blade of travail.
The land bears its wounds, but the soul never dies,
for the Minang woman, her spirit never cries.
We are not flowers that fall at the wind’s command,
but roots that pierce stone, defying time’s hand.
The morning dew may fade in haste,
but we are the rock, steadfast, we trace.
Our voices thunder like a storm in the sky,
defending our families with a cry that defies.
It is not beauty we flaunt with pride,
but strength that’s etched in life’s quiet tide.
We cut through the lies of this era,
like a torch blazing through the darkened terra.
In the digital night, where truth is pure,
we are the flickering light that endures.
Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2024
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The Prayer Hall Amidst False Light
By: Leni Marlina
In a humble prayer hall, defying the night,
light emerges, uninvited, but bright.
Prayers flow like an endless stream,
chasing away the dust, chasing the dream.
You bring your light, framed in gold,
but we know it’s a mirror, its story untold.
The Minang women do not seek the gleam,
we guard the true light, though it may seem dim.
We are mirrors reflecting the truth,
clearing away the mask of falsehood, uncouth.
In every crack within this sacred hall,
a prayer rises, unheard by all.
This hall, though humble, breathes with life,
as the world outside offers only strife.
We guard our prayers as we guard our soul,
for within them, the true light remains whole.
Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2024
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Waves That Touch the Gonjong
By: Leni Marlina
The waves of the Indian Ocean roar in might,
crashing against the Gonjong, an endless fight.
But we, the Minang women, are rocks that endure,
standing firm against the storm, strong and pure.
We are not fruits that fall with a touch,
but coral that withstands, no matter how rough.
You send storms with teeth sharp and fierce,
we answer with a battle song that pierces the air.
This land is our home, nourished with blood,
family is our soul, held tight in the flood.
In the storm that rages across the world,
we stand tall, embers in prayer unfurled.
Your waves are but fleeting ripples that break,
while we are the ocean, vast and awake.
In our gentleness lies untold might,
crushing falsehoods with an eternal light.
Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2024
Note:
*gonjong: rooftop of Minangkabau traditional/custom house
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The Shadow That Guards Jam Gadang
By: Leni Marlina
Beneath the Jam Gadang*, a witness of time’s flow,
our shadows live, echoing through the ebb and the glow.
You think we are mere footprints, lost in the dusk,
but we are carvings in stone, eternal and just.
We are not shadows that vanish with night,
but flames that creep into the darkest light.
In every crack of this ancient stone,
rests a prayer, whispered and never alone.
We guard our families with tender hands,
rooting faith in soil that often withstands.
Our prayers are our strength, unyielding and bold,
we bow not to lies, nor to falsehoods untold.
Your deceptions we halt with unwavering grace,
we are the Minang women, guarding our place,
upholding the dignity of this sacred space.
Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, 2024
Note:
*jam gadang: clock tower
Brief Biography
This collection of poems was originally written by Leni Marlina in 2024. These poems were revised and first published through digital media in 2025.
Leni is also an active member of the Indonesian Writers Association (SATU PENA) in West Sumatra since its founding in 2022. Additionally, she is an active member of the International Poets and Writers Community ACC in Shanghai and has been appointed as the Ambassador of Indonesian Poetry for the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association.
Leni was previously involved with the Victoria Writer’s Association in Australia. Since 2006, she has served as a lecturer in the English Language and Literature Program, Faculty of Language and Arts, State University of Padang.
Leni is also the founder and leader of various digital communities and initiatives focused on language, literature, literacy, and social engagement, including:
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)
