Nazir Akalın

Poet and writer (B. February 1, 1964 Erzurum – D. December 12, 2002, Ankara). He graduated from Aziziye Primary School (1977), Erzurum High School of Commerce (1983) and Ataturk University Faculty of Literature (1991). He has completed two masters degrees in the program of Oriental Languages and Literatures (1991-94) at the same university and at the program of Contemporary Turkish Literature (1994-97) at Kırıkkale University with the theses “Nizâmîyi Gencevî’nin Hayatı, Edebî Kişiliği, Eserleri ve Leylî u Mecnûn Mesnevisinin Tahkiye Unsurları Açısından Tahlili” and “Nâmık Kemâl’in Edebî Tenkitleri ve Dayanakları” . He worked for four years as a research assistant at Kırıkkale University.

He was imprisoned for one month in 1981 with the reason of violating secularism. Akalın began with his journalism career in 1983 and he was put on trial in 1985 for imprisonment in 1985 because of an article he has written. He was sacked during February 28 period and he was unemployed. He had the depression due to the possibility of not be able to find a job. In a depressive day, he died by and accident, in his most productive period. He was a member of Writers Union of Turkey.

His articles, poems and poem translations from Eastern and Western literature were published in Sağduyu and Gündüz newspapers and journals such as Palandöken (editorial board, 1992), Dergâh, Edebiyat Ortamı, Güneysu, Hazan, Hece, İkindi Yazıları, Karçiçeği, Kardelen, Kültür Edebiyat, Mavera, Merdiven, Tohum, Türkiyat Araştırmaları, Ayane, Bilig, Çınar, Düşçınarı, İnsan Saati, İpek Dili, İslâmî Edebiyat, İzdüşüm, Kafdağı, Kalem ve Onur, Kırağı, Kültür Dünyası, Türk Edebiyatı, Vahdet, Varide, Yalnız Ardıç, Yeni Sıla ve Yenişehir Sanat, Köprü, Üçüncü Yeni, Kül, Gündönümü, Kırkayak (later Kırklar), Şadırvan, Harman, Avaz, Kırkambar, Tepe, Şark. In 1989, he prepared the culture and arts pages for Milletin Sesi newspaper in Erzurum and the art pages of Hürsöz newspaper in 1990. He has published the journal named Karçiçeği with his friends in 1991 and he worked as the chief editor. He was in the editorial board of Palandöken journal in 1992. He managed the culture and art pages of Anadolu Hakimiyet newspaper in 1993. His six poems were composed by Hasan Enes in 1999 and an album was issued under the name Yürür Dağlar. He made translations from Sadi, Hafız and Mevlana.

 “While reading the poem named Evlerde Benek Benek Kan Lekeleri in Gerilla Türküleri, I have finally realized that Nazir Akalın has reached to the point of capturing his own voice and became the poem of his own poetry.” (Nurullah Genç)

“There are very strong poems in Gerilla Türküleri that will make us say: “I assign you first to God, and then to the hearts of poets.” (M. Hanifi İspirli)

“Poet makes us feel that he is familiar with the Oriental poetry and the old Turkish poetry, like almost he has kindredness; and he gives new meanings to the poems he takes from the old Turkish poetry, using those in a successful way.” (Turan Karataş)

WORKS:

POETRY: Gerilla Türküleri (1993), Kanayan Simya (1998).

CRITIC: Şairin Eldivenleri (2003).

RESEARCH: Sadullah Paşa yahut Mezardan Nida (2003).

REFERENCE: Nurullah Genç / Gerilla Türküleri’ni Okurken (Karçiçeği dergisi, May 1993, issue: 10), Rıdvan Canım / Bosna Ah Bosna (1995), Rıdvan Canım / Bosna Ah Bosna (1995), Hasan Ali Kasır / Erzurum Şiirleri Antolojisi (1997), Turan Karataş / Şiir Vadilerinde (1998), Ahmet Turan Alkan / Bir Yürek Vuruntusu (Zaman gazetesi, 16.5.1998), İbrahim Taşköprülü / Kanayan Simya (Sağduyu gazetesi, 19.5.1999), Cevat Akkanat / Gerilla Türküleri’nden Kanayan Simya’ya (Cuma dergisi, 29 January-4 February 1999), Arif Ay / Türk Edebiyatından Anne Şiirleri Antolojisi (2001) - Türk Edebiyatından Çocuklara Şiirler Antolojisi (2001), Nurettin Durman / Filistin Şiirleri Antolojisi (2001), Turan Karataş / Rüyalarımızın Sarışın Buğdayı (2001), Mehmet Çetin / Tanzimat’tan Günümüze Türk Şiiri Antolojisi (2002, vol. 4), İhsan Işık (TEKAA, 2009).