Poet and writer (b. 14 November 1919, Bandırma / Balıkesir – d. 10 March
1999, İstanbul). He attended the İstanbul Sain Polycarpe Primary School (1931),
İzmir Saint Joseph French Secondary School (1934), İzmir High School for Boys
(Atatürk High School, 1937) and graduated from İstanbul University, Faculty of
Literature, Department of Philosophy (1948). He worked at İş Bank (1940), at
İstanbul Nişantaşı Secondary School as a teacher of French (1943-49), as a
reviser of the inspection board of Bahçekapı Branch of Sümerbank (1950-52); as
a labor inspector in İstanbul (1952-54), Gaziantep (1954-55) and again in
İstanbul (1966-56) under the Ministry of Labor; as the director of the library
at the Faculty of Literature (1956 –60); as a translator of French at Ankara
University (1960-61) and as the director of the Printing House (1961-72). After
1973, he was appointed as the director of Publishing Department at the
Institution of Turkish Language for a while.
His first poem titled Yalnızlık
(Loneliness) was published in the issue of December 1937 of the review Gündüz.
His first diary was published in the issue of 1 January 1950 of the review Beş
Sanat. His poems and articles were also published in the newspapers Hakikat
(he used the pen name Sin Sin Ademoğlu in some of his articles, 1938), Ulus
(his novel titled “Dört Köşeli Üçgen”-A Triangle With Four Corners” was
serialized completely, 1958), Cumhuriyet (after 1980), Pazar Güneşi
(1986-87), and in the reviews Gündüz (1937), Yedigün (1937), Ses
(1941), Yenilik (Cavit Yamaç, 1941), Servetifünun (1941-44), İnsan
(owned by Hilmi Ziya Ülken, Birsel edited five issues in 1943), Yenilikler
(where he was one of the founders, 1945), Yeni Amaç (1947), Sanat ve
Edebiyat (owned by Suut Kemal Yetkin, 1947-48), Yenilik (owned by
Naim Tirali, 1951-55), Yirminci Asır (1947-53), Nokta (1951), Yeditepe
(1951-61), Kaynak (1947-51), Fikirler (1948-49), Varlık
(in the 1990’s), Türk Dili (owned by the Turkish Language Association,
1960-73), Milliyet Sanat (1974-75), Yeni İnsan (1981), Gösteri
(1987), Adam Sanat (1994-96), Şiir-lik (Berlin, 1995-96), Dil
Dergisi (1995), Türk Dili Dergisi (owned by Ahmet Miskioğlu, 1996),
and Yeni Biçem (1996).
He won Turkish Radio and Television
Corporation’s Art Award in 1970 with his essay Keçi Çobanı Kuzu Çobanı (The
Shepherd of Goats, the Shepherd of Lambs); the Turkish Language Association
Essay Award in 1976 with Şiir ve Cinayet (Poetry and Murder); the
İş Bank Literature Award with Paf ve Puf (Paf and Puf); the Sedat
Simavi Foundation Award in 1986 with Yaşlılık Günlüğü (The Diary of
Senility) and the Behçet Necatigil Poetry Award in 1993 with Varduman
(Smokedly). He got married to Jale Birsel (Ayata) in 1962, who was an
artist at the State Theaters. He spoke French. He worked as a member of
executive board and the director of publishing department at the Turkish
Language Association between the years of 1954-57 and 1960-77 and he was a
member of the Writers Union of Turkey.
WORKS:
POETRY: Dünya
İşleri (The Worldly Affairs, 1947), Hacivatın Karısı (The Wife of
Hacivat, 1955), Ases (The Guard, 1960), Kikirikname (The Book for
Kikirik, 1961), Haydar Haydar (1972), Bütün Şiirleri (All Poems,
1986), Varduman (Smokedly, 1993), Yalelli (Tra-la-la, 1994), Rumba
da Rumba (Dance and Dance, 1995), Yaşama Sevinci (The Joy of Life,
1995), İnce Donanma (The Thin Navy, 1995), Çarleston
(Charlestone, 1996), Nardenk (Boiled Wine, 1998).
NOVEL: Dört
Köşeli Üçgen (The Triangle with Four Corners, 1961).
HISTORY (The
History of Salah Bey): Kahveler Kitabı (The Books of Cafés, 1975), Ah
Beyoğlu Vah Beyoğlu (Oh Beyoğlu, 1976), Boğaziçi Şıngır Mıngır (The
Rattling and Clinking Bosphorus, 1979), Sergüzeşt-i Nono Bey ve Elmas
Boğaziçi (The Adventure of Nono Bey and the Diamond Bosphorus, 1982), İstanbul-Paris
(İstanbul-Paris, 1983).
DIARY: Günlük
(The Diary, 1955), Kuşları Örtünmek (Veiling the Birds, 1976), Hacivat
Günlüğü (The Diary of Hacivat, published with Diary and Veiling the Birds,
1982), Yaşlılık Günlüğü (The Diary of Senility, 1986), Bay Sessizlik
(Mr. Silence, 1989), Aynalar Günlüğü (The Diary of Mirrors, 1988), Nezleli
Karga (The Crow with Pneumonia, 1990), Yalnızlığın Fırınlanmış Kokusu
(The Baked Scent of Loneliness, 1991), Papağanname (The Book of Parrot,
1995), Yanlış Parmak (The Wrong Finger, 1996).
ESSAYS: Şiirin
İlkeleri (The Principles of Poetry, 1952), Sen Beni Sev (You Loke
Me, 1957), Kendimle Konuşmalar (Conversations with Myself, 1969), Kurutulmuş
Felsefe Bahçesi (Dried Philosophy Garden, 1979), Paf ve Puf (Paf and
Puf, 1982), Şiir ve Cinayet (Poetry and Murder, 1975), Halley Kimi
Kurtarır (Whom Will the Halley Save, 1981), Amerikalı Tolstoy (The
American Tolstoi, 1983), Bir Zavallı Sarı At (A Desperate Yellow Horse,
1985), Şişedeki Zenci (The Black in a Bottle, 1986), Asansör (The
Elevator, 1987), Kediler (Cats, 1988), Hafiyeler Önde Gider (The
Spies Go First, 1991), Gece Yarısı Mektupları (Midnight Letters, 1991), Gandhi
ya da Hint Kirazının Gölgesinde (The Gandhi or in the Shadow of Indian
Cherry, 1993), Gece Mavisi (Night Blue, 1994), Şiirin İlkeleri
(The Principles of Poetry – previously published his three books together: The
Principles of Poetry; You Love Me; the Spectators Take the Stage, 2001).
STUDY: Fransız Resminde İzlenimcilik (Impressionism in French
Painting, 1967), Goethe (Goethe, 1972).
Moreover, he has
books in various categories whic are ready to be published; and thirteen
published play translations.
