Orhan Veli Kanık

Orhan Veli Kanık is a poet who made Turkish poetry simple and enjoyable enough for everyone to understand. By removing poetry from rigid traditional forms and bringing it into the lives of ordinary people, he revolutionized our literature. If you enjoy reading poetry about everyday things, let us explore Orhan Veli’s world together.

Orhan Veli was born on 13 April 1914 in the Beykoz district of Istanbul. His father, Veli Bey, was the conductor of the Presidency Harmony Orchestra, so art was always a topic of conversation in their home. With the support of his elementary school teacher, he began writing at an early age, and his first story was published in a magazine while he was still a child.

^{Orhan Veli and His Friends (generated by artificial intelligence)}

While studying at Ankara Boys’ High School, he met Oktay Rifat and Melih Cevdet, who would change the course of his life. These three friends constantly talked about poetry even during breaks and jointly published a school magazine. Although he continued his education in philosophy, he left school to pursue a career in civil service.

Orhan Veli believed that the complex and ornate poetry of his time had become boring. Together with his friends, he published a book titled Garip, shattering the established rules of poetry. He argued that poetry did not need meter, rhyme, or elaborate diction.

To him, poetry should be written in the language of the people and express their daily struggles. He astonished readers by populating his poems with ordinary individuals like “Süleyman Efendi,” a man whose shoes were worn out. Thanks to this plain and ironic style, he quickly became one of the most beloved poets.

Orhan Veli, who deeply loved Istanbul, wrote his famous poems by listening to the city with his eyes closed. His poems spoke not only of love but also of street cats, the sea, gulls, and the blue of the sky. He himself was a kind, warm-hearted, and courteous person.

Our poet was only 36 years old when he fell into a pit opened by the municipality on a dark street in Ankara. After the accident, he sustained a head injury and later died in Istanbul from a cerebral hemorrhage. Despite his short life, the path he opened in Turkish poetry continues to influence thousands of poets today.

Time Travel: In the 1940s, poems were typically written in serious and difficult vocabulary. Orhan Veli broke this “old” approach, bringing poetry down to the streets and making it accessible to everyone.