Sutardji Calzoum Bachri, known as Tardji,[1] (born 1941 in Rengat, Riau) is a well-known Indonesian poet. A native Malay speaker,[2] he successfully launched a credo of 'freeing words of their meanings'.[2][3]
He was nicknamed the "bottle poet" for a preference, early in his career, for accompanying readings of his work with bottles of alcohol.[1] He was also known once as 'The President of Indonesian Poets'[1][4] His style of reading has been compared to the incantation-like quality of the old Indonesian dukun, chants stemming from Indonesian pre-Islamic shaministic practice, still used today.[5]
The style of Tardji's poetry has been described as that of a mantra.[2] He has been quoted as saying that the mantra is the true use of words.