AKBAŞ, A. Vahap

Poet and writer (b. 2 May 1954, Batman). He attended Cengiz Topel Primary School and graduated from Batman High School (1971), İstanbul University, Faculty of Literature, Department of Turkish Language and Literature (1977) He worked in Çorlu as a teacher (1977-85) and departmental director for the Ministry of National Education (1985-93). He worked as a teacher of Turkish literature in Çorlu M. Akif Ersoy Anatolian High School between 1993 and 2001 and retired in 2001.

His first published work was the story called Ey Çerh-i Sitem (O Wheel of Cruelty, Hisar, 1978). Later, his poems and articles were published in Hisar (1978-80), Türk Edebiyatı (1980), Mavera (1979-88), İslâmî Edebiyat (1988), Kandil Çocuk (1986), Gül Çocuk ve Selam (1987-88), Nisan Bulutu (15 issue, 1993-94), which he managed in Çorlu, and Düş Çınarı magazines as well as in Yeni Devir and Türkiye newspapers. He won the Writers Union of Türkiye Poetry Award in 1982 with his book called Efgan (Moan). He won the second rank award at the Sedat Yenigün Novel Competition in 1984 with Alevler ve Güller (Flames and Roses), the award given by the Turkish Foundation of National Culture in 1987 with Kuş Olsun Yüreğim (Let My Heart be a Bird) and won the third rank award at the children’s poetry competition held by Gökyüzü Publications. For some time he supervised the culture and art pages for Yeni Devir newspaper (1984-85). He is a member of Writers Union of Türkiye and the Foundation for Political and Social Researches.

WORKS:

POETRY: Efgan (Moan, 1982), Gül Kıyamı (Slaughter of the Roses, 1986), Mavi Sesli Şiirler (Blue Voice Poems, 1988), Dünyayı Kaplayan Ağaç (The Tree Covering the World, 1990), Kuş Olsun Yüreğim (Let My Heart be a Bird - children’s poems, 1991), Hüzün Coğrafyası (Geography of Sorrow, 1992), Bir Şehre Vardım (I Arrived in a City, 1997).

NOVEL: Alevler ve Güller (Flames and Roses, 1985), Gülün Aklı (Mind of a Rose - children’s novel, 1989).

SHORT STORY: Ayna ve Suret (Mirror and Reflection, 2003).

ESSAY: Göğe Çizilmiş Resimler (Pictures Drawn on Sky, 1995), Biraz İhanet (A Little Bit of Betrayal, 1996), İnziva Notları (Notes of Seclusion, 1996).

FABLE: Bir Demet Masal (A Bunch of Fairy Tales, 1985).

ANTHOLOGY: Bir Hüma Kuşudur Şiir (Poetry of a Bird of Paradise, line - couplet selection, 1990).

SIMPLIFICATION: Zehra (Zehra, novel by Nabizade Nazım, 1996).