Poet and writer (b. 1891, İstanbul - d. 23 February 1971, İstanbul). He attended the Bakırköy Elementary School and Galatasaray High School (1914). He succeeded in the teachers’ exam and served as a teacher of literature at high schools in Kayseri, Muğla (1916), Konya and İstanbul, (1918-56). He retired while he was a teacher at Atatürk High School for Girls. He is buried in Zincirlikuyu Graveyard.
His first poems in aruz meter were
published in the reviews Rübab (1912)
and Şehbâl (1912-13). He joined the
National Literature movement and was recognized with his poems in syllabic
meter published in Yeni Mecmua
(1917-18). He took part in “Five Poets of Five-Syllabic Poetry” (Beş
Hececiler). Later on his poems took part in Nedim
(1919, 18 numbers), Yarın (1921-22), Hayat (1926-28), Ayda Bir (1935-37) which he published; in Servet-i Fünûn (1926-42), Çınaraltı
(1942), Varlık, Hisar, where he worked as the editor-in-chief. He became one of the
talented poets of our literature with his poems that he wrote mostly lyrically
and clearly. He wrote his confabulations and memoirs in the newspaper Tercüman. His plays were performed at
the İstanbul Municipal City Theatres firstly.
WORKS:
POETRY: Rüya (Dream, 1912), Cenk
Duyguları (Battle Emotions, 1917), Efsaneler
(Legends, 1919), Zakkum (Oleander,
1920), Bulutlara Yakın (Close to the
Clouds, 1920), Gülistanlar Harabeler
(Rose Gardens and Ruins, 1922), Paravan
(Folding Screen, 1929), Balkonda Saatler
(Hours at the Balcony, 1931), Sulara
Dalan Gözler (Eyes Diving into Water, 1936), Hep Onun İçin (Always For Her, 1962), Sonsuz Gecelerin Ötesinde (Beyond the Endless Nights, 1964).
PLAY (in verse): Baykuş (The Owl, in aruz meter, 1916), İlk Şair (The First Poet, in aruz meter, 1923), Sönen Kandiller (Fading Candles, in syllabic
meter, 1926), Nedim (Nedim, verse, in
syllabic meter, not staged, 1958), İki
Yanda (At Two Sides, 1970), On Yılın
Destanı (The Epic of Ten Years, 1933), Bir
Dolaptır Dönüyor (Something’s Going On, 1938).
NOVEL: Sulara Giden Köprü (The Bridge Going to Water, 1939), Aşıklar Yolunun Yolcuları (The
Passengers of the Lovers' Path, 1939).
MEMOIR: Edebiyatçılar Geçiyor (Literary Men Are Passing By, 1939; expanded
2nd edition, 1967; expanded, with the title Edebiyatçılar Çevremde (Literary Men around Me, 1970), Darülbedayi Devrinin Eski Günleri (The
Old Days of İstanbul Municipal Theaters Age, 1964), Eski İstanbul Ramazanları (Old Ramadan Months in İstanbul, 1968).
