September’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 Catalan PEN 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! August followed with a collaboration with PEN Canada and our humble partner for the writings of August’s writings is PEN Venezuela!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the centre’s President Milagros Socorro for translating all the pieces into Spanish and arranging for our writers works to be featured in Venezuelan poet Maria Antonieta Flores’s literary portal “El Cautivo”. When the pieces are uploaded to the platform we will share news of it and the related links here.
Ilkyaz’s new Inıtatıve “Lıterature +” is lıve!
In our time where various forms of expression are expanding their cooperation with one another, İlkyaz also needs to create an innovative space for young literature. It is possible to expand the reach of literature and other styles of expression by creating a common ground between them. Keeping this aim in mind, the idea behind “Literature +” is quite simple; inviting artists to produce works inspired by İlkyaz’s writings and expanding their reach into each others expressive form. You can check out the new section here.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to read, you can reach August’s writings here.
Don’t forget to check out our writers under the age of 15, in “15-“, our archive of stories from everyday lives in “Human Portraits” and Bombay born, internationally renown writer Salil Tripathi’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.
İpek Sözen Çubukçuğlu – Garnitür Konservesi / Garniture Conserve / Confitura de Guarnición
You gave birth to yourself. Then the same hand, opened my lid. Infinite amount of light filled me in, like someone teared the sky above. The invisible burden of worries and the existence struggle in my essence faded away. I was there.They poured us in a gigantic pool at the same time. Mixing with you, being one was the best thing I’ve ever felt. The way you filled all my gaps, and surround me everywhere possible… We were ready to live. We were one, we were us.
About the author: İpek Sözen Çubukçuoğlu was born in İzmir in 1995. She graduated from Andolu University Theathre department specialized in Acting. She is currently studying Philosophy at Anadolu University correspondence school. She has written screenplays and theatre plays. Two of her children’s theatre plays have been staged. She is also improving herself in creative advertisement scripts.
Hamit Alp Ünlü – Ah/ Alas/ Ay
I’d like to tell you of a carnation
I found amidst my trees
A carnation for you-
You… are not here
I will tell them then of the same carnation
They- not there
I run to the mirror in horror
Me?
I am here –praise be- I can blend in the crowds
About the author: My name is Hamit Alp Ünlü. I am 27-year-old unobtrusive passenger. I am trying to find my own way and to understand it by collating what life puts in front of me. For nearly 10 years, pen paper and music has been my companions that I’m in and out of making peace with. In case that end of the road falls short of getting anywhere; all my toil is to say that the journey was well worth it.
Utku Fırat Özçelik – En Sevdiği Oyuncak Soru İşareti Olan Çocuklar / Chıldren Wıth a Questıon Mark as a Favourıte Toy / Niños con un signo de interrogación como juguete favorito
I take time back from where I left it
I collect the windows of busses you laid your head against
Prophecies in my fridge
In my piggy bank the promises I couldn’t keep
And in every vacancy in my soul
There is a song rewinded for it’s lyrics were hard to tell
About the author:Born in 11 October 1990 in Erzincan. Due to his parents work as bureaucrats his educational life was spent in various towns across Tokat and Muğla. In 2008, he moved to Istanbul after being accepted to Istanbul University, Radio, Cinema and TV department. Following his graduation he worked as a copy and script writer. His first poetry file Düş/Gece (Dream/Night) won a prize at the Arkadaş Zekai Özger poetry competition. His poems and stories were published by magazines such as Morg, Lirik, Koza Düşünce, Çağdaş Türk Dili. Since 2017 he has been a student at MSGSÜ Turkish Language and Literature department. With an unfailing passion he keeps reading and writing.
