Youth and Education
Kemalettin Kamu was born on September 14, 1901, in Erzurum. His father, Osman Nuri Efendi, was a government official from the Kılcızâdeler family of Erzurum. Due to his father’s profession, Kamu spent his early years in various cities and received his initial education through private lessons. He learned Arabic and Persian at a young age and developed an early interest in literature.
In 1910, he enrolled at Erzurum İdadisi, but his education was disrupted following his father’s death during World War I. He later continued his studies in cities such as Sivas, Kayseri, and Bursa. After completing high school in Istanbul, he went to Paris to study Ulûm-u Siyasiye (Political Science).
Although Kamu spent five years in Paris and learned French, he was not particularly productive in literary terms and returned with only a few poems. Upon returning to Istanbul, he resumed his studies in political science but focused more on literature and journalism.
Career and Achievements
Kemalettin Kamu began his literary career by writing poems in aruz (prosodic) meter but later transitioned to hece (syllabic) meter. During the Turkish War of Independence, he gained prominence for his patriotic poetry. Before the "İstiklâl Marşı" (Turkish National Anthem) was written, his poems reflected the spirit of the struggle and were popularly recited like a national hymn.
His works were published in notable literary magazines such as Varlık, Türk Yurdu, Ülkü, Dergâh, and Yedigün. Kamu became widely known for his poem "Gurbet" and was thereafter referred to as the Poet of Exile (Gurbet Şairi) in Turkish literature.
In addition to his literary career, he entered politics in 1939 and was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Rize. During his tenure, he served as a spokesperson for the Finance Commission. He was re-elected in the 1943 and 1946 elections and held various governmental positions. Alongside his political career, he worked for Anadolu Ajansı (Anatolian News Agency) and contributed to Türk Dil Kurumu (Turkish Language Association), supporting efforts to simplify the Turkish language.
Literary Style and Works
Kemalettin Kamu’s poetry is characterized by both nationalistic and lyrical themes. His works can be categorized into three main thematic groups:
- Poems of exile, migration, and longing
- Poems on love and nature
- Poems on victory and homeland
While his early poems were written in the aruz meter, he later adopted the hece meter. His poetry often depicts the geographical beauty of Anatolia, the struggles of its people, and social issues. He employed a simple and clear language, ensuring accessibility to a wide audience while expressing the sentiments of the common people.
After his death, his poems were compiled and published under the title Kemalettin Kamu – Hayatı, Şahsiyeti ve Şiirleri (1949). In 1986, Gültekin Samanoğlu revisited his works and published a revised collection titled Kemalettin Kâmi Kamu.
Some of his most well-known poems include:
- Gurbet
- Hicret
- Bingöl Çobanları
- İstiklâl Yolu
- Atama Ağıt
- Kimsesizlik
Personal Life
Kemalettin Kamu lived a solitary life. He never married and, after the death of his mother, he formed a deep bond with his brother’s children. The themes of loneliness and isolation frequently appeared in his poetry, reflecting his own experiences. He had planned to publish a poetry collection titled Mehmetçik, but he passed away before completing the project.
Final Years and Death
On March 6, 1948, Kemalettin Kamu passed away due to heart failure in his hotel room in Ankara. His funeral was attended by a large crowd, and he was laid to rest at Cebeci Asri Cemetery.
Legacy and Influence
Kemalettin Kamu is particularly remembered as the “Poet of Exile”, and his poetry has remained influential over the years. His ability to merge elements of Turkish folk poetry with modern verse, his simple yet heartfelt language, and his emotional depth have made him one of the most significant literary figures of the Republican era. Many of his poems were set to music and became widely popular during his lifetime. Kamu’s influence extended to later generations of poets, including Gültekin Sâmanoğlu, who adopted similar themes of exile and longing in their works.
