Marcelijus Martinaitis (born in 1936) is a Lithuanian poet, literary critic, and essayist. His poetry collections, such as "Across the Bridges of Clouds," "The Return of the Sun," "And Darkness in the Eyes, and Light in the Heart," "The Same Words," "Memorabilia," "Unlocked," and others, have had a profound impact on literature and society.

He is a recipient of the National Prize, one of the leaders of the Sąjūdis movement, and a professor at Vilnius University. Martinaitis's most famous work, "The Ballads of Kukutis," has been translated into many languages and has seen several dozen editions.