Sapardi Djoko Damono (20 March 1940 – 19 July 2020) was an Indonesian poet known for lyrical poems, and who was widely regarded as the pioneer of lyrical poetry in Indonesia. He died in South Tangerang, Banten on 19 July 2020 after a long illness.

Early life

Sapardi attended grammar school at Sekolah Dasar Kasatriyan in his home town of Surakarta (also known as Solo), and from there he went on to junior high and high school at SMP 2 and SMA 2. He was an avid reader from an early age, and was a frequent visitor to the local libraries around Solo. After his graduation from high school, Sapardi moved to Yogyakarta to study at the English division of the Literature department at Gajah Mada University, and later completed his graduate studies in Indonesian literature. The focus of DukaMu Abadi is on the pain of the individual who questions existence, and unlike many of his literary peers of this time, Sapardi's poetry focused more on the human condition rather than revolutionary and social ideas. To mark the foundation's inauguration, a collection of Sapardi's poems, entitled "Suddenly the Night" was released. These include the literary works of T. S. Eliot, Khalil Gibran and Jalaludin Rumi; his translation of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea is considered among Indonesia's best. In the realm of film, Aku Ingin (I Want), composed by Ags. Arya Dipayana, has been rearranged into a soundtrack by teen pop musician Dwiki Dharmawan for Garin Nugroho's 1991 film Cinta dalam Sepotong Roti (Love Is in a Slice of Bread). Damono's extensive and intensive involvement in the university has borne him the unofficial title 'Professor of Indonesian Poets'. He was once elected dean of the faculty. His poetry continues to enjoy wide popular appeal. A poetry recital, arranged to celebrate his 70th birthday in March 2010, was packed out with people of all ages and from all walks of life, queuing to enter the venue.

Awards

Sapardi Djoko Damono has received a number of awards in recognition of his work. Included among these are:

  • The Putera Poetry Award in 1983
  • The Jakarta Arts Council Literary Award in 1984
  • The SEA Write Award in 1986
  • The Achmad Bakrie Award for Literature in 2003.