August’s works are now live and can be found below and throughout the postings on the English homepage!
As İlkyaz, we work to introduce three young writers every month. We translate these works, which are be made up of a short stories or poems, into English and endeavour to introduce them to readers outside of Turkey.
This exchange, we hope, will create new audiences for our writers in the world arena and introduce them to a global network of the world’s literary figures.
In December, we initiated this effort with Norwegian PEN’s lead. After PEN Germany, PEN Belgium/Flanders continued the very same role for the month of February. For March, PEN French Centre took over the role of promoting our young writers abroad. For the writings of April, we collaborated with PEN South Africa. For May, Scottish PEN took over the role of amplifying our young writers voices within their membership and audience, and PEN Catalan promoted our writers for June to their own members and audience. For July our partnership reached out to Russia, in collaboration with PEN Moscow Centre! And our humble partner for the writings of August is PEN Canada!
This means our writers will be promoted in Canada throughout the coming month. We are very grateful to the PEN Canada centre for collaborating with us and amplifying the voices of our young writers abroad. You can reach the related page where our writers are promoted on their platform here.
You can have a read of the texts in Turkish and English links provided below.
Our new section Literature + that we have been working to build will for a while will finally be opened next month , with a mission to unite different forms of expression and form bridges between creatives, check out the details here and apply when you can!
Don’t forget to check out our writers under the age of 15, in “15-“, our continuing archive of stories from everyday lives in “Human Portraits” and renown Turkish writer Mine Söğüt’s reading suggestions to young writers.
You can also keep up with new shares on our blog, our music playlist and new entries on our main page.
S.Emre Özcan – Yitmiş Şairler Ağıtı / Requiem for Vanished Poets
wouldn’t it be a treat to have found that treasure
we wrote and sang songs
when that wouldn’t suffice we found new cities and wore out others
couldn’t quite pin point what was missing
every house a new blaze, ashes of nights
we couldn’t be ourselves, without making love, we, without weeping
without regard to man or women
we embraced solitude like children
whatever we planted we couldn’t saw
we were gradually effaced
About the author: Born in Adana on 29 March 1992. Lived in Balıkesir from the age of three, graduating from Istanbulluoğlu Anadolu Teachers High school. In 2010, got accepted to MSGSÜ Philosophy department and moved to Istanbul. He completed his degree in third place and with an Honorary Certificate. After graduation he got accepted to a Masters degree at the same university, Art History Department, Western and Modern Arts branch. His first article was published on Aydınlık newspaper’s books supplement. The Psychological Guidance and Consultation Magazine PDR 3.0 published his essays, book reviews and short stories. His poetry was further published in Lacivert Story and Poetry Magazine, Lirik Dergi, Babylon Şiir Kenti, Şiirden Dergisi. His poem “Kül” received the mention prize at 21st Hasan Bayır Poetry Competition.
In 2019 May, this poem “Requiem for Vanished Poets” recieved the “Alanya Kale” prize in the competition organised by Güncel Sanat Dergisi (Contemporary Arts Magazine).
Tuğba Zengin – Aynadan / Off The Mırror
I could carry a lovely scent too, you know.
I could’ve stuffed honeysuckles in my pocket before seeing you
In a great hurry, loutishly.
Would there be more love then?
Would love make ways sooner?
Or
Would we not have come across the crossroads,
with a deck of lifeless delicacy in my pockets?
About the author: Greetings! I’m Tuğba Zengin, born in 21 June 1997 in Kırşehir. After completing my primary and high school education in Kırşehir I moved to study Electrical Engineering on a scholarship in Istanbul Developmental University where I’m on my 4th year as a student. I have been writing poems and short stories since 5th grade in primary school and begun sharing them with literature lovers and school magazines in middle school. I write as much as I can and try to reach as many people as I can, mainly through magazines. As a miniature creator, I wish love upon all who come across my miniature worlds.
Abdullah Öztürk – Kondüktör / The Conductor
Thankfully my waiting didn’t last long this time. The train stopped like a horse sensing danger and neighing in unease. When the doors opened, the roar of the station crowd rushed to fill the train where nothing else but the rattle of iron wheels was heard. The bleary eyes inside knocked open and stared at where they had arrived. Then the train, moved from the small station it stopped for just long enough for a sleepy passenger to wake up and fall back asleep, and sunk into the steppes’ darkness.
The small station on the other hand, had been left behind like a dream unbeknown if it was ever seen.
About the author: He was born in Sivas/Şarkışla in 1986. He graduated from Erciyes University Electric and Electronic Engineering department in 2010. He worked as a scriptwriter and director for non profit organisations. His screenplays were staged by professional and amateur theatre companies. His short stories were published in several magazines and were performed as closet dramas. He is currently working as an engineer and continuing his studies in Dramatic Writing at Ankara University Fine Arts faculty.
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