Which Poets' Poems Have Been Set to Music?

Literature and Poetry

Our literature contains rich content. Indeed, many of our poems that have inspired our music and been set to music have emerged from our literature. Moreover, unforgettable works are created when artists compose and perform poems. These poems have all left their mark on our lives. In our literature, the poems of our poets who embraced the understanding of 'art for society' or 'society for art' have been composed without distinction. In fact, many of our poets have experienced sorrows and sad life stories in the poems they wrote. Although the names of some of our poets do not stand out prominently, when the poems they wrote are composed and sung by artists, they are embraced by society and become popular songs. One of these is the piece 'Kimseye Etmem Şikâyet' written by İhsan Raif Hanım and performed by Müzeyyen Senar. This beloved piece is not only a classic of Turkish Classical Music but also reflects the verses written by a young girl from a renowned family living in a mansion in the late 1800s, who was forcibly married at a young age due to the social perceptions of the time, and the cries of anguish she poured onto paper about the dark future that awaited her. Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, one of the representatives of Republican era poetry, also has the poem 'Sessiz Gemi' (Silent Ship), sung by Hümeyra. Although this poem is known as 'a poem written for death,' it was actually written after his greatest love, Celile Hanım, departed for Istanbul by ship. Atilla İlhan, who made great contributions to Turkish literature and thought, has a composed poem titled 'Sultan-ı Yegâh.' It was performed by Nur Yoldaş and later by many other artists and groups. To refresh our general knowledge, the piece 'Beni Koyup Gitme' (Leave Me and Go), a poem by Atilla İlhan, was performed by Yaşar. Another piece that has resonated with us is the poem 'Mahur Beste' (Mahur Nocturne), performed by Ahmet Kaya.

Pieces Composed from Poems

Orhan Veli Kanık, the founder of the Garip movement, aimed to fundamentally change the structure of poetry, wanting to bring the spoken language of the people on the street into poetic language, which he reflected in his poems. Levent Yüksel's performance of Kanık's poem 'Dedikodu' (Gossip) has etched a very natural and understandable language into our memories. The piece 'Leylim ley,' which we listen to in the interpretations of Zülfü Livaneli and İbrahim Tatlıses, is a poem by Sabahattin Ali. Our poet Ümit Yaşar Oğuzcan, who has a melancholic air, has a sad and painful life story. After his son Vedat Oğuzcan, who committed suicide, he wrote the piece 'Beni Kör Kuyularda Merdivensiz Bıraktın' (You Left Me in Dark Wells Without a Ladder) in his memory, which was performed by Münir Nurettin Selçuk. The work 'Ya Evde Yoksan' (If You're Not Home) might remind you of its poetic form or as a piece played in the film 'Neredesin Firuze' (Where Are You, Firuze?). The correct information is that the poem 'Ya Evde Yoksan' was written by our poet Cemal Safi. It has been interpreted by many artists. In the film 'Neredesin Firuze,' it was performed by Haluk Bilginer and Özcan Deniz. Orhan Gencebay also performed it. Nazım Hikmet's poem 'Ceviz Ağacı' (Walnut Tree) was performed by Cem Karaca.