Ceyhun Atuf Kansu (1919-1978) was a Turkish poet, writer, and pediatrician. His works reflect the ideals of the Republic, the struggles of the people, and the cultural fabric of Anatolia.

Ceyhun Atuf Kansu - Anadolu Agency

Life

Ceyhun Atuf Kansu was born on December 7, 1919, in the Bostancı district of Istanbul. His father, Nafi Atuf Kansu, was a member of parliament for Erzurum, and his mother, Müfdale Hanım, was an educator. After losing his mother at a young age, Kansu moved to Ankara with his father in 1921.

He completed his primary education at Ankara Necatibey Primary School in 1932 and graduated from Gazi High School in 1938. He developed an interest in poetry during his high school years, publishing his first poem in the school magazine Filiz on January 15, 1938. After graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, he specialized in pediatric diseases. While working as a pediatrician at Ankara Numune Hospital, he opened a clinic in Altındağ to provide healthcare services to children living in slum areas.

Kansu also worked as a pediatrician at the Tokat Turhal Sugar Factory and later returned to Ankara in 1959, where he continued his work at the Ankara and Etimesgut sugar factories.

He also served on the board of the Turkish Language Association. On March 17, 1978, he passed away due to heart failure at the Etimesgut Sugar Factory, where he was working, and was buried in Ankara's Cebeci Asri Cemetery.

Poetry Style

Ceyhun Atuf Kansu began his literary career with a style rooted in syllabic meter and folk poetry traditions. Over time, he adopted a narrative style closer to the Garip movement. Later, he leaned toward a more socialist perspective, focusing on the living conditions of Anatolian people and their struggle for independence.

His poetry extensively utilized folk expressions and revolved around themes such as nature, love for children, village teachers, laborers, the War of Independence, Atatürk, and the Republic. In his poetry book Sakarya Meydan Savaşı (The Battle of Sakarya), he depicted the struggle for independence in an epic tone.

Kansu described his poetic approach as conveying an individual's sensitivity to society. He believed poetry should reflect a person's place in history, their stance, and their worldview.

Works

Ceyhun Atuf Kansu’s works mainly focus on poetry, essays, and children's literature.

Poetry Books

• Bir Çocuk Bahçesinde (In a Child’s Garden, 1941)
• Bağbozumu Sofrası (The Harvest Table, 1944)
• Çocuklar Gemisi (The Children's Ship, 1946)
• Yanık Hava (Burnt Air, 1951)
• Haziran Defteri (June Notebook, 1955)
• Yurdumdan (From My Homeland, 1960)
• Bağımsızlık Gülü (The Rose of Independence, 1965)
• Sakarya Meydan Savaşı (The Battle of Sakarya, 1970)
• Buğday, Kadın, Gül ve Gökyüzü (Wheat, Woman, Rose, and Sky, 1970)

Prose and Essay Books

• Ya Bağımsızlık Ya Ölüm (Independence or Death, 1964)
• Köy Öğretmenine Mektuplar (Letters to the Village Teacher, 1965)
• Tonguç'un Kitapları (Tonguç’s Books, 1967)
• Atatürkçü Olmak (Being an Atatürkist, 1966)
• Atatürk ve Kurtuluş Savaşı (Atatürk and the War of Independence, 1969)
• Halk Önderi Atatürk (Atatürk: Leader of the People, 1972)
• Cumhuriyet Ağacı (The Tree of the Republic, 1973)
• Cumhuriyet Bayrağı Altında (Under the Flag of the Republic, 1973)
• Söylevi Okurken (Reading the Speech, published posthumously in 1996)

Children’s Books

• İyi İnsan Mehmet Ali (Good Man Mehmet Ali)
• Üvey Ana (Stepmother)

Medical Books

• Turhal Dolaylarında Çocuk Bakımı (Childcare in the Turhal Region)
• Anneler Soruyorlar (Mothers Are Asking)
• Kasabalar ve Köylerde Çocuk Bakımı (Childcare in Towns and Villages)

Awards and Legacy

Ceyhun Atuf Kansu won the Yeditepe Poetry Award in 1965–1966 for his book Bağımsızlık Gülü (The Rose of Independence). In 1970, he received the Behçet Kemal Çağlar Award for Sakarya Meydan Savaşı (The Battle of Sakarya).

Since 1986, his family has organized the "Ceyhun Atuf Kansu Poetry Award" annually in his memory.