Poet and lyric writer (b. 1938, Samsun - d. 18 April 2018).
He completed primary and high education in Samsun. He has lived in Ankara since 1959. He is known for his poems
that were set to music. His first poem was set to music by Orhan Gencebay and
his other poems by well-known composers. He was chosen as Artist of the Year in
1989 and collected the top award in competitions organized by Hürriyet and Milliyet newspapers and the Turkish Radio and Television
Corporation with his poem set to music called Rüyalarım Olmasa (İmkansız)
(If I Don’t Have a Dream (Impossible)). In 1990 he collected the same awards
for 1989 with Vurgun (In Love) set to
music by Selçuk Tekay. Up to now, approximately 200 of his poems have been set
to music. His first poem cassette was released in 1991. Some of his poems were
translated in Romanian.
WORKS (Poem):
Sende Kalmış (It’s Up to You, 1997), Kıyamete Kırk Kala (Forty till Doomsday,
2002), Vurgun (In Love).
REFERENCE: Hüseyin Yurdabak / Şiirle Yaşayanlar Antolojisi (2002),
Mehmet Barlas / Cemâl Sâfi’nin Şiirleri (Sabah gazetesi, 22.1.2004), Haşmet
Babaoğlu / İçimiz Ürperiyor Ya Firûze Evde Yoksa (Vatan Gazetesi, 1.3.2004),
Nergis Demirkaya / Röportaj (Sabah gazetesi Ankara eki, 6.12.2004), Emre Aköz /
Ya Evde Yoksan (Sabah gazetesi, 25.2.2005), İhsan Işık /
Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi
(2. bas., 2009), Usta şair Cemal Safi vefat etti! (haberturk.com, 18.04.2018).