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had an unpublished poetry book with the title Kalbim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.
REFERENCE: Salim Şengil / Ahmed Arif
(Seçilmiş Hikâyeler, Temmuz 1956), Veysel Öngören / Ahmed Arif’le Bir Konuşma
(Ankara Birliği dergisi, Mart 1970), Mehmet Kaplan / Cumhuriyet Devri Türk
Şiiri (1973), Gülten Akın / Türk Şiirinde İşlem Gelişimi Üstüne Notlar (Sinan
Yıllığı, 1973), Nihat Behram / Ahmed Arif’le Bir Konuşma (Militan, Şubat 1975),
Enver Yorulmaz / Ahmed Arif (Çaba dergisi, 1989), İhsan Işık / Yazarlar Sözlüğü
(1990, 1998) - Türkiye Yazarlar Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) – Encyclopedia of
Turkish Authors (2005) - Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür
Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2007) – Ünlü Edebiyatçılar (Türkiye Ünlüleri
Ansiklopedisi, C. 4, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013) -
Diyarbakır Ansiklopedisi (2013) – Geçmişten Günümüze Diyarbakırlı İlim Adamları
Yazarlar ve Sanatçılar (2014), Refik Durbaş / Ahmed Arif Anlatıyor: Kalbim
Dinamit Kuyusu, (1990), Ahmet Oktay / Karanfil ve Pranga (1990), Can Yücel
(Milliyet, 3.6.1991), Muzaffer İlhan Erdost / Üç Şair: Nâzım Hikmet, Cemal
Süreya, Ahmed Arif (1994), Şevket Beysanoğlu / Cumhuriyet Dönemi Türk
Edebiyatının Diyarbakırlı Üç Büyük Şairi: Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı, Ahmed Arif,
Sezai Karakoç (1997).