He was born in İstanbul on 26th of May 1905. He studied at American, French private high schools and Naval college. There were great literary names among his teachers, like Yahya Kemal,Ahmet Hamdi,İbrahim Aşki. He studied philosophy at İstanbul University and was sent to France with state scholarship. He also graduated from Sorbonne University in France..
After returning to Turkey he worked in Osmanlı, Hollanda and İş banks. He taught at a French College, Ankara University and İstanbul Fine Arts Academy.
He wrote first poems at the age of 12, with his mother's encouragement and his these poems were published in Yeni Mecmua. With his poems featured in Milli Mecmua and Yeni Hayat magazines many people began to talk about him. After his two books, Örümcek Ağı and Kaldırımlar were published he surpassed many of his contemporaries. Before his 30's with the publication of his 'Ben ve Ötesi' book, he became a master. He wrote many plays in moralist philosophy. His Tohum, Para, Bir Adam Yaratmak plays are some of the strongest plays of Turkish theatre. He was not only a poet and playwrite but also a critic. He wrote for many magazines. Weekly Ağac magazine became a literary school where the contemporary famous literary faces gathered. His anecdotes, essays and articles were published at Yeni İstanbul, Son Posta, Babıalide Sabah, Bugun, Milli Gazete, Hergun and Tercüman. He used nicknames like Adıdeğmez, Murid, Ahmet Abdulbaki.
He won the big award of Ministry of Culture, the high award of Turkish Writers Union and the Lifelong Success award.Furthermore, he was named as Sultan-üş Şuara (Master of Poets).
He died at his home in Erenköy İstanbul on 25th may, 1983.

His works;

Poems: Örümcek Ağı(1925),Kaldırımlar(1928), Ben ve Ötesi(1932), Sonsuzluk Kervanı(1955), Çile(1962), Şiirlerim(1969), Esselam(1973), Çile(1974), Bu Yagmur.

Plays: Tohum(1935), Bir Adam Yaratmak(1938), Künye(194, Sabır Taşı(194, Para(1942), Namı Diger Parmaksız(1949), Reis Bey(1964), Ahşap Konak(1964), Siyah Pelerinli Adam(1964),Ulu Hakan Abdulhamit(1965), Yunus Emre(1969)

Novels: Aynadaki Yalan (1980 ), Kafa Kağıdı(1984)

Short Stories: Birkaç Hikaye Birkaç Tahlil(1932), Ruh Burkuntularından Hikayeler(1964), Hikayelerim(1970 )


Memoirs: Cinnet Mustatili(1955), Hac(1973), O ve Ben(1974), Babıali(1975)

Kaldırımlar 1

Sokaktayım, kimsesiz bir sokak ortasında
Yürüyorum, arkama bakmadan yürüyorum
Yolumun karanlığa saplanan noktasında
Sanki beni bekleyen bir hayal görüyorum.

Kara gökler kül rengi bulutlarla kapanık;
Evlerin bacasını kolluyor yıldırımlar.
İn cin uykuda, yalnız iki yoldaş uyanık:
Biri benim, biri de serseri kaldırımlar

İçimde damla damla bir korku birikiyor;
Sanıyorum her sokak başını kesmiş devler,
Ãœstüme camlarını, hep simsiyah dikiyor
Gözüne mil çekilmiş bir ama gibi evler

Kaldırımlar, çilekeş yalnızların annesi
Kaldırımlar, içimde yaşamış bir insandir.
Kaldırımlar, duyulur ses kesilince sesi,
Kaldırımlar, içimde kıvrılan bir lisandır.

Bana düşmez can vermek yumuşak bir kucakta,
Ben bu kaldırımların emzirdiği cocuğum.
Aman sabah olmasın bu karanlık sokakta,
Bu karanlık sokakta bitmesin yolculuğum

Ben gideyim yol gitsin, ben gideyim yol gitsin;
İki yanımdan aksın bir sel gibi fenerler.
Tak, tak, ayak sesimi aç köpekler işitsin;
Yolumun zafer takı, gölgeden taş kemerler.


Ne sabahı göreyim, ne sabah görüneyim;
Gündüzler size kalsın, verin karanlıkları.
Islak bir yorgan gibi sımsıkı bürüneyim,
Örtün, üstüme örtün serin karanlıkları.


Uzanıverse gövdem, taşlara boydan boya;
Alsa buz gibi taşlar alnımdan bu ateşi.
Dalıp sokaklar kadar esrarlı bir uykuya;
Ölse, kaldırımların kara sevdalı eşi...


SIDEWALKS
I'm in the street, in a street all lonely
Walking, walking and never looking back
At the point my path is mingled with the black
I seem to see a phantom wait for me

Ashen clouds overcast the darkling sky
Lightening bolts seek the chimneys of homes
In this midnight only two who sleepless roam
I here am one and there the sidewalks lie

Drop by drop a terror collects in me
At the head of every street the demons wait
The houses fix their gaze, dark black and great,
On me, like blindmen with their eyes ripped free

The sidewalks, mother to the suffering
Sidewalks, the person who has lived in me
Sidewalks, sound heard when all sounds cease to be
Sidewalks, a language within me lingering

I'll not give up life in a soft embrace
I am the child nursed at this sidewalk's breast
Please let no morning on this dark street rest
On this dark street let me ever run my race

Let me go on and the road, let us not stay
Let the lamps flow past me like a flood
Let hungry dogs hear the click-clack of my tread
Let there be an arch, vaulted in gloom, on my way

Let the daytimes be yours, give me darknesses
Let me not walk in light nor to eyes appear
As in a damp quilt let me wrap myself here
Cover me, cover me in their cool darknesses

If my body, full-length on these stones could lie
If these cold stones would draw the fever from my brow
Like these streets plunging into uncanny drowse
If only the sidewalks' melancholy mate would die

Translated by Walter G. Andrews

Ölüler

Ölüler bağrıyor mezarlarından;
Yolcular, oturun taşlarımızda!
Onları deviren biziz toprağa,
Biz attık onları böyle ayağa;
Sakın atlamayın kenarlarından!
Ölüler bağrıyor mezarlarından...

Yolcular, uzanın yere upuzun;
Dayayın taşlara başlarınızı!
Tüy yastıklar gibi rahat başımız!
Birleşsin bir lâhza orda başımız!
Bizdedir cevabı kuruntunuzun;
Yolcular, uzanın yere upuzun!

Ben de bir gün böyle haykıracağım:
Yolcular, oturun mezar taşımda!
Yolcular önemde fısıldaşacak,
Yolcular aşılmaz yollar aşacak.
Taşımı yerlere yatıracağım;
Ben de bir gün böyle haykıracağım!

(1935)


THE DEAD

The dead cry out from their cemeteries
Travelers! Sit here on our stones.
It is we who tipped them to the ground
We it was who thusly cast them down
Beware, don't ever jump off gravestones
The dead cry out from their cemeteries

Travelers, lay you down long upon the ground
Against our stones just rest your heads
Our stones are soft as feather pillows
Let our heads join for an instant there
in us the answer to your groundless dread
Travelers, lay you down long upon the ground

One day I too will cry out like that
Travelers, sit here upon my stone
Travelers will whisper together before me
Travelers will surmount insurmountable trails
Upon the ground I will lay down my stone
One day I too will cry out like that

Translated by Walter G. Andrews

Oh, what a wanderful surprise, Ramayan
Way to go, way to go! Just keep on!

I think it was put there for me, to make me shut up about the authors and literature and stuff

I liked 'Sidewalks' - very powerful words - thank you Ramayan

Tebrikler Ramayan!

A great job! Bravo! I hope more posts like this one will follow.

nice job dude

severek izliyoruz :=)

everything is for tc

(türkiye cumhuriyeti)

vatan sağolsun

Anneciğim

Ak saçlı başını alıp eline,
Kara hülyalara dal anneciğim!
O titrek kalbini bahtın yeline,
Bir ince tüy gibi sal anneciğim!

Sanma bir gün geçer bu karanlıklar,
Gecenin ardında yine gece var;
Çocuklar hıçkırır, anneler ağlar,
Yaşlı gözlerinle kal anneciğim!

Gözlerinde aksi bir derin hiçin,
Kanadın yayılmış, çırpınmak için;
Bu kış yolculuk var, diyorsa için,
Beni de beraber al anneciğim!...

(1926)


MUM

Hold your white haired head
Imagine black dreams
Leave your thrilling heart to
The breeze of fate like a thin feather

don't suppose all the darkness passes by
there is night beyond night
children hiccup,mums cry
stay with ur wet eyes mum

the reflection of a great nullity in your eyes
your wings spread and flutter
if your heart says there is a trip this winter
take me too mummy

translated by ramayan and edit by boop...

Awwww - Bless you

Dua

bıçak soksan gölgeme
sıcacık kanım damlar
girde bir bak ülkeme
başsız başsız adamlar

ağlayın su yükselsin
belki kurtulur gemi
anne seccaden gelsin
bize dua et emi

Necip Fazıl Kısakürek


Pray

You thrust a dagger into my shadow
My warm blood spreads all over
Come and see my country
Come and see my headless people

Shed tears to bring in the tide
Maybe the ship out will be salvaged
Mother bring out the prayer rug
And pray pray for us





(Translated by Mevlut Ceylan, 101Poems by 101Poets An Anthology of Turkish Poetry)

Wow! Thanks Ramayan. To be sincere I am not an expert in Turkish poetry, but I guess I will know it better than Russian and Roumanian following such wonderful and nice posts. It refers to all of You my poetry lovers- thank You!!!(I hope to come with my contribution soon).

Thank you Ramayan!
Great job!
This is for you.Hope you like it.


PERDELER

Perdeler, hep perdeler...

Her yerde, her yerdeler.

Pencerede, kapıda,

Geçitte, kemerdeler...

Perdeler, hep perdeler...


Ya benim sevdiklerim,

Şimdi nerde, nerdeler?

Onu bomboş perdenin;

İçerde, içerdeler!

Perdeler, hep perdeler...


Gönülde asıl perde;

Onu hangi göz deler?

Surat maske altında,

Sis altında beldeler.

Perdeler, hep perdeler...


Perdeye doğru akın;

Atlılar, piyadeler.

Yollar, yönler dolaşık;

Değişik ifadeler.

Perdeler, hep perdeler..


Bir tohumda bin gömlek.

Giyim giyim fideler.

Kalbler dilini yutmuş;

Bangır bangır mideler.

Perdeler, hep perdeler...


Son noktada son perde;

Çevrilmiş seccadeler.

Orada işte işte,

Olumden azadeler!

Perdeler, hep perdeler...



CURTAINS
Curtains, curtains all they are...
Here and everywhere they are.
In the windows, at the door,
In passages and vaults they are...
Curtains, curtains all they are...

And what about the things I love,
Now where are they, now where are they?
Before the curtain it's so empty;
All inside, inside are they!
Curtains, curtains all they are...

The original curtain's in the heart;
Pierced through only by which gaze?
Beneath the mask of outward form,
Cities lie beneath the haze.
Curtains, curtains all they are...

Toward the curtain onward rushing;
Horsed they are, on foot they are.
Roads, directions aimless wander;
Expressions elsewise put they are.
Curtains, curtains all they are...

A seed it wears a thousand shirts.
Seedlings all dressed up they are.
Hearts amazed are stricken dumb;
Bellies crying out they are.
Curtains, curtains all they are...

The final point, the final curtain;
Ringed with rugs for prayer they are.
Over there you see, you see,
Free, set free from death they are!
Curtains, curtains all they are...

Translated by Walter G. Andrews

BEKLENEN

ne hasta bekler sabahı
ne taze ölüyü mezar
ne de şeytan bir günahı
seni beklediğim kadar

geçti istemem gelmeni
yokluğunda buldum seni
bırak vehmimde gölgeni
gelme artık neye yarar



the waited

neither the sick waits for the morning
nor the grave waits the fresh corpse
and no devil for a sin
as much as i wait for you

now i don't want you to come
i found you in your absence
leave your shadow in my mind
don't come yet in vain

editor boop ..translated by ramayan

Tebrikler, Ramayan but you forgot to mention the name of translator

GEL

Yüzün bir sebepsiz korkuyla uçuk,
O gün başucuma karalarla gel
Arkanda, çepçevre, kızıl bir ufuk,
Tepende simsiyah kargalarla gel

Elinden, dal gibi düşerken ümit,
Ne bir hasret dinle, ne bir ah işit;
Bir yaprak ol, esen rüzgarlarla git,
Kırık bir tekne ol, dalgalarla gel.


COME

With a faded face for a meaningless fear,
Come my bedside in blacks
Behind,surrounding red horizon
With black crows on your top

While hope falling down like a leaf between your hand
Neither hear a longing nor a curse
Be a leaf,go with blowing wind
Be a broken boat,come with waves

translated by RAMAYAN will be edited by BOOP

ANLAMAK

Anlamak yok çocugum, anlar gibi olmak var;
Akıl için son tavır, saçlarını yolmak var..

TO UNDERSTAND

there is no understanding my son,but pretending
the last manner for wisdom,there is plucking hairs


translated by RAMAYAN,waiting for BOOP

Sonum yokluk olsa bu varlık niye?

Why is this existence, if my end is absence?

kadın

Kadından kendisinde olmayanı isteriz
Hasret yerinde kalır ve biz çekip gideriz

WOMAN
we want the things that don't exist in a woman
longing stays there and we go away

İSTASYON

Burda gelir insana
Bos gunlerin usancı
Calar birden kampana
Olum canından acı
Sonra bir duduk oter
Kesik cıglıklarla der;
Burdan bildik gidenler
Sonra doner yabancı

STATION

here it comes
the boredom of leisure
here rings the bell
worse than the death gong
then a familiar pipe
says intermittenly;
the ones who were familiar
become strangers
when they return

Dağlarda Şarkı Söyle

Al eline bir değnek
Tırman dağlara şÃ¶yle
Şehir farksız olsun tek
Mukavvadan bir köyle

Uzasan göğe ersen
Cücesin şehirde sen
Bir dev olmak istersen
Dağlarda şarkı söyle


SING ON THE MOUNTAINS
Take a stick
Climb the mountains
Just make the city
Same with a village

Even if u get longer and reach heavens
You are a dwarf in the city
İf u wanna be a giant
Sing on the mountains