Preview poems

I became like rivers
separated from the sea
I became like ashes
of an extinguished fire
I became like roses
that bloomed before their time
I'm burning, my friend,
from the pain you caused me

[Pir Sultan Abdal, Ötme Bülbül Ötme, 16e eeuw, fragment]

Many poems featured in Poetry of the People are still read and studied. On her upcoming album, set to be released in September this year, Meral Polat sings a song based on the poem Ötme Bülbül Ötme by poet, musician, humanist, and mystic Pir Sultan Abdal, a key figure in Alevism. Abdal advocated for the rights of the people and resisted the Ottoman Empire. In a video, Meral Polat performs the poem in song. 

I saw myself as a mirror devoid of myself
At any moment an image falls upon it by your hand
Sometimes the image of your power, sometimes your tyranny
And sometimes the image of your self-worshiping eyes

[Forough Farrokhzad, Servitude, 1958, fragment]

In the twentieth century few women gained respect as poets. Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad (1934-1967) explored taboo subjects. Her often controversial poetry expressed physical and emotional intimacy, making her a symbol of change in contemporary Iran. Her work continues to inspire Iranians worldwide.

To live like a tree alone and free
And like a forest in fraternity
This longing is ours

[Nâzım Hikmet Ran, Kuvayi Milliye Destanı - (“8. Bap”), 1939-1941, fragment]

The poems of Nâzım Hikmet Ran (1902-1963) resound with loud protest. Due to his communist ideologies, he spent 28 years in prison. After his release, he fled his homeland. Even in captivity, Nâzım Hikmet continued to fight for freedom through his poetry. To this day, he is regarded as the first and foremost modern Turkish poet and one of the greatest international poets of the twentieth century. The exhibition features images from the 2013 Gezi Park protests, where lines from Hikmet’s poetry were displayed on banners.

Curious about more poems? The exhibition can be seen from 14 February to 24 August 2025 at Wereldmuseum Amsterdam.