Sutardji Calzoum Bachri
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Sutardji Calzoum Bachri, known as Tardji,<ref name="agusta">Template:Cite news</ref> (born 1941 in Rengat, Riau) is a well-known Indonesian poet. A native Malay speaker,<ref name="lindsay"/> he successfully launched a credo of 'freeing words of their meanings'.<ref name="lindsay">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
He was nicknamed the "bottle poet" for a preference, early in his career, for accompanying readings of his work with bottles of alcohol.<ref name="agusta"/> He was also known once as 'The President of Indonesian Poets'<ref name="agusta"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His style of reading has been compared to the incantation-like quality of the old Indonesian dukun, chants stemming from Indonesian pre-Islamic shamanistic practice, still used today.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The style of Tardji's poetry has been described as that of a mantra.<ref name="lindsay"/> He has been quoted as saying that the mantra is the true use of words.
References
External links
- Profile and works at the 2004 Poetry Africa Festival website