Ahmed Arif facts for kids
Ahmed Arif (21 April 1927 in Diyarbakır – 2 June 1991 in Ankara) was a Turkish-Kurdish poet.
His father, Arif Hikmet, is an ethnic Turkmen from Kirkuk, and his mother Sayre is Kurdish. Ahmed Arif studied philosophy at Ankara University. Arif was arrested on political grounds in 1950 and spent time in prison until 1952. Published in various literary journals, his poems were widely read due to their original lyricism and imagery influenced by Anatolian folk cultures. He published only one collection of poetry: Hasretinden Prangalar Eskittim (Fetters Worn Out by Longing/1968) – a volume that has gone through a record number of printings.
He was among the contributors of the literary magazine Papirüs which was edited by Cemal Süreya.
Ay Karanlık (The Moon Is Dark)
In 2023, the Paris Institute for Critical Thinking (PICT) commenced a project to translate Ahmed Arif's poems into English; so far, 2 open-access translations, both by David Selim Sayers and Evrim Emir-Sayers, have been published online.
| Turkish Maviye Maviye çalar gözlerin, Yangın mavisine Rüzgarda asi, Körsem, Senden gayrısına yoksam, Bozuksam, Can benim, düş benim, Ellere nesi? Hadi gel, Ay karanlık... İtten aç, Dört yanım puşt zulası, |
English Into the blue Into the blue steal your eyes Into the blue of a fire Raging against the wind If I’m blind If I’m leaving behind all but you So what if I’m through? This life is mine, this dream is mine Strangers have no clue Come, I say, The moon is dark... If I end at your gate Bastards’ lairs to all my sides |
See also
- Ahmet Arif Literature Museum Library
