AHMED ARİF

Poet (b. 1927, Diyarbakır – d. 1991, Ankara). After attending primary and secondary education in Diyarbakır, he studied at Ankara University, Faculty of Language, History and Geography, Department of Philosophy for a while. Since he was arrested twice because of his political views and actions (1950, 1952), which were regarded to be against the Article 141, he could not complete his studies at the university. He worked as proof-reader, technical secretary and journalist.

His poems were published in reviews such as İnkılapçı Gençlik, Yeryüzü, Seçilmiş Hikâyeler, Yeni Ufuklar and in Papirüs between 1948 and 54. His only poetry book Hasretinden Prangalar Eskittim (I Wore Out Shackles with Your Yearning) has become the most published works and one of the best-selling poetry books, and thus brought a deserved fame to its author. His poems, which reflect the grief of Southeastern people in an emotional and deep narration attracted great attention. After his death, it was rumored that he had an unpublished poetry book with the title Kalbim Dinamit Kuyusu (My Heart is a Deep Well of Dynamites) to be published; however, such book has not been published yet.

WORKS:

POETRY: Hasretinden Prangalar Eskittim (I Wore out Shackles with Your Yearning, 1968).

LETTER: Cemal Süreya'ya Mektuplar (Letters to Cemal Süreyya, 1992).