Testimony

A Life in Poetry

Rendra (1935-2009), one of Indonesia’s most important poets and dramatists, was raised within a mystical Javanese milieu. He saw the individual, nature, and society as potentially forming one harmonious whole. This commitment to personal authenticity and social justice was expressed in Rendra’s poetry and plays. He often wrote for the marginalized and his staunch criticism of Soeharto’s New Order government led to his detention. For almost a decade, public reading and performance of his works were banned. This collection, which collects many of his best poems, is his testimony to the sacredness of life in all its beauty.