A Poetry Collection by Leni Marlina: “Seeing Myself In The Rain” (PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena Sumbar, Indonesian Creator of AI Era, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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Seeing Myself In The Rain
A Poem by Leni Marlina
(PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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The rain descends, and I behold myself within it—
Not as form, nor as name,
but as a trembling droplet,
cast from the sky’s decree,
never questioning where it shall fall.
I learn from the rain
the fleeting breath of existence,
the vanishing trace of self,
the secret of surrender—
to dissolve into the infinite.
O Lord,
if You decree me as dust,
let me be dust
borne upon the winds of Your mercy.
If You will me to be water,
then let me stream toward You,
never straying from Your course.
For I am not mine to claim—
not my hands, nor my voice—
I am but a whisper of You,
sent down with this rain,
that I may return unburdened,
seeking none but the One who awaits.
Padang, West Sumatra
Indonesia
Ramadhan, 2019
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Turning Away From Food and Water
A Poem by Leni Marlina
(PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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O fleeting world,
today we inscribe your name in the wind,
but we shall not send forth our words.
Let the ink remain dry,
let the breath of longing be hushed.
At midday, we turn from the whisper of bread,
the call of rice and honeyed dates.
We shun the silver stream
that beckons from the cup—
for we know,
that which is delayed in patience
is made sweeter by faith.
So we fold this letter,
hide it within our chests,
awaiting the hour when the world fades to silence,
and all that remains
is the echo of the soul’s return.
Padang, West Sumatra
Indonesia
Ramadhan, 2019
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A River Flows Within Me
A Poem by Leni Marlina
(PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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A river courses within my being,
but more than that—
I am the river itself,
and never once have I stood still.
I gaze upon my reflection,
but my face does not look back—
only the heavens shimmer in reply.
And so I ask,
where am I, amidst these flowing waters?
Do I exist, or am I merely a mirage
cast upon the glass of eternity?
I surrender to the river’s path,
without oar, without struggle,
for ma‘rifah is not found in asking,
“Where shall I go?”
but in knowing I have arrived
before the journey begins.
Padang, West Sumatra
Indonesia
Ramadhan, 2019
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Before The Trembling Mirror
A Poem by Leni Marlina
(PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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We stand before a mirror that quivers,
and behold the selves we long to forsake—
the self that hungers,
the self that thirsts,
the self that yearns to clutch the world.
“Why do you restrain me?” asks the shadow.
“What harm is there in partaking of what is given?”
But we do not answer,
we only peer beyond the wavering glass,
to the essence hidden within—
purer, stronger, unshackled.
For fasting is no torment of the soul,
but the unveiling of its light.
It is the lifting of veils,
the breaking of illusions,
until we see beyond reflections,
to the truth that has always been.
Padang, West Sumatra
Indonesia
Ramadhan, 2019
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Fasting From All That Draws Me From God
A Poem by Leni Marlina
(PPIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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O my Lord,
I withhold my lips from food and drink,
but greater still—
I fast from all that pulls me from You, my God.
I deny hunger, not for the loss of pleasure,
but to taste the love
that seeks nothing in return.
I resist thirst, not for fear of deprivation,
but to let the world ebb away,
so my heart may empty itself
for none but You.
For love is not found in possession,
but in surrender without sorrow.
And this Ramadan is not mere ritual,
but the unburdening of the self—
until only You remain within me.
Padang, West Sumatra
Indonesia
Ramadhan, 2019
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Like A Meandering River
A Poem by Leni Marlina
(PIPM-Indonesia, Poetry-Pen IC, Indonesian Writer of Satu Pena, Indonesian Creator of Era AI, FSM, ACC SHILA)
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We are like rivers that wind and bend,
moving with the patience of time,
hearing the call of the endless sea,
yet waiting for the appointed hour.
The waters within us tremble,
eager to burst through the gates of longing,
to flood into the valley of desire.
Yet we remain still,
for the sea swallows those who rush.
We let the sun claim our thirst,
we let the wind strip away our weariness,
for we believe—
that at journey’s end,
it is not the sea that awaits,
but an ocean vaster than this fleeting world.
Padang, West Sumatra
Indonesia
Ramadhan, 2019
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This poetry collection (poem no.1 – 6) was originally written bilingually (English-Indonesia) by Leni Marlina as a personal hobby and private collection in 2019. The poems were later revisited, revised and published digitally for the first time 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)
