Cahit Kulebi (b.Tokat,1917 - d.Ankara, June 20, 1997) He worked as a literature teacher after graduating from the School of Education (1942). He retired after holding positions as education inspector (1956-1960), cultural attach&eecaute; in Switzerland (1964), chief superintendent at the Ministry of Education (1964-1969), and Vice Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture (1972). He also worked as general editor at the Turkish Language Association. He has an important place in contemporary Turkish poetry due to his attachment to folk poetry traditions. His poetry is enriched with simple yet ironic language, embellished with original descriptions.
Cahit Kulebi
POETRY: Adamin Biri (1946), Rüzgâr (1949), Atatürk Kurtulus Savasinda (1952), Yeseren Otlar (1954), Süt (1965), Siirler (1969, collected poetry), Türk Mavisi-Atatürk Kurtulus Savasinda (1973), Sikintin ve Umut (1977), Yangin (1980), Bütün Siirleri (1982, collected poems).
Source: An Anthology of Turkish Literature, Edited by Kemal Silay, 1996, Indiana University Turkish Studies and Turkish Ministry of Culture Joint Series, XV.
Mavi Boncuk |
SONG by Cahit Kulebi
Your lips are red
Your hands are white
Take my hands, child,
Hold them a while.
In the village where I was born
There were no walnut trees
That's why I yearn for coolness
Fondle me a while.
In the village where I was born
There were no cornfields
So scatter your hair child
Flaunt it a while.
In the village where I was born
The north winds blew
That's why my lips are cracked
Kiss them a while
In the village where I was born
Bandits struck by night
That's why I hate to be alone
Speak with me a while
In the village where I was born
Men did not know how to laugh
That's why I'm still so unhappy
Make me laugh a while
You are light and beauty, like my country
The village where I was born was beautiful too
Now tell me of the place where you were born
Tell me a while.
Cahit Kulebi
Translated by Bernard Lewis (1982)
HIKÂYE
Senin dudaklarin pembe
Ellerin beyaz,
Al tut ellerimi bebek
Tut biraz!
Benim dogdugum köylerde
Ceviz agaçlari yoktu,
Ben bu yüzden serinlige hasretim
Oksa biraz!
Benim dogdugum köylerde
Bugday tarlalari yoktu,
Dagit saçlarini bebek
Savur biraz!
Benim dogdugum köyleri
Aksamlari eskiyalar basardi.
Ben bu yüzden yalnizligi hiç sevmem
Konus biraz!
Benim dogdugum köylerde
Simal rüzgarlari eserdi,
Ve bu yüzden dudaklarim çatlaktir
Öp biraz!
Sen Türkiye gibi aydinlik ve güzelsin!
Benim dogdugum köyler de güzeldi,
Sen de anlat dogdugun yerleri,
Anlat biraz!
Cahit Külebi
(Modern Türk Siiri, düz. Ahmet Necdet, Broy Yayinlari, 1993)
Obituary
Cahit Kulebi, one of Turkey's greatest modern poets, died in Ankara last Friday at the age of 80 of heart and kidney failure, after fighting for his life in hospital for 83 days.
His real name is Mahmut Cahit Erancan. He was born in 1917 in Tokat, and studied Turkish literature at university. His first poems were published in a magazine named "Toplanti" when he was at high school. He worked as a teacher for 12 years in Antalya High school, Ankara State Conservatory and Ankara Gazi High School. In 1956 he became an educational inspector. In 1970 he was sent to Switzerland as a students' inspector and cultural attache. Then he was appointed deputy of the undersecretary in the Ministry of Culture after he retired in 1976, and was elected to a high administrative post at the Turkish Language Institute. His first poems, except for the ones he wrote when he was a student, were published under the name "Nazmi Cahit" in Genclik Magazine in 1938.
Although Kulebi did not play an important role and did not join any of the literature groups during the "literature movement" of the 1940s, he won the literature award of the Turkish Language Institute with his book Yeseren Otlar in 1955. In 1981 he won the Yeditepe Poem award with his poem Yangin .
Kulebi is known as a person who rarely accepts awards, but he couldn't help crying when he received the 1996 Presidential Culture and Art award from President Suleyman Demirel.
No comments:
Post a Comment