In search of the subliminal: Asaf Halet Celebi's poetry through generations

Turkish poet Asaf Halet Celebi spearheaded a literary revolution, forever altering the course of Turkish poetry with his modern poem Cuneyd, published in Ses (Voice) magazine in November 1938.

Uncommonly for his time, he employed enjambment, alliteration and symbolic devices. He fused harmony with the spirit of poetry, interweaving his compositions with mystical and fairytale motifs, showcasing a rare blend of influences and inspiring coming generations of poets.

Poet Husrev Hatemi, born the same year as Halet's Cuneyd was published, shared his encounter with the poet at age 12 for the first time with TRT World, demonstrating his long memory that takes us straight to 1950.

“I opened the door to welcome Asaf Halet. His skin resembled that of Spaniards, and he had big brown eyes. He wore a dark brown jacket, and his posture reminded me of Andalusian horses. It seemed as if he had come from an antique time.”

When Hatemi's brother had mentioned Celebi's impending visit, he had thought someone from Galata Mevlevi Lodge would be gracing their home. Thus, Celebi's surprise arrival left a profound impression on the adolescent.

He was unprepared for the curiosity he would feel for Celebi as he scrutinised every line on the poet’s face. Hatemi accompanied Celebi to the guest room, where Kazım Recevi Ized, one of Iran's most distinguished poets and a relative of Hatemi’s father, was waiting for Celebi's arrival.

Hatemi describes the impact of his encounter with Halet, thus: “It's not a memory of the moment; everything is unfolding right before my eyes as I speak.”

Rewind

Asaf Halet was born in 1907 in Ottoman Istanbul. His original name was "Mehmet Ali Asaf". He adopted the surname "Celebi'' because of his love for Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi — the surname “Celebi” belongs to Rumi’s family.

Halet witnessed the commencement of the First World War at the tender age of seven. He matriculated into Galatasaray High School during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. By 1923, the Republic of Türkiye was officially established.

Asaf Halet acquired proficiency in both French and Persian under the tutelage of his father, a connoisseur of Islamic and Sufi literature. His musical education encompassed a dedicated period of instruction under a practitioner of the esteemed "Mevlevi Order".

Upon visiting France, he devoted three years to academic pursuits at the School of Fine Arts, Sanayi-i Nefise School, culminating in his graduation from the Vocational School of Justice. Post-academic endeavours led him to serve as a clerk at the Criminal Court of Uskudar Courthouse, followed by roles at the Ottoman Bank and the State Maritime Railways Administration.

In 1945, he entered into matrimony with Nermin Celebiler, his uncle's daughter, and the union blessed them with a son, Omer Halet.

After an unsuccessful bid as an independent parliamentary candidate during the 1946 Turkish general elections from Istanbul, he redirected his focus toward scholarly pursuits. A noteworthy chapter of his professional journey unfolded, as he assumed the role of a librarian within the library in the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Literature, Istanbul University, where he dedicated an extended period to meticulous knowledge curation.

It was a twist of fate that got Halet to infuse his poetry with philosophy. That's why Asaf Halet's poetry is not a product of chance, but is grounded in the philosophies of Sufism, Buddhism and mysticism. His poetry represents an essence distilled from profound philosophical insights,which is why he is considered Türkey's first surrealist poet. His poetry involves abstract concepts picked up from his dalliances with the above philosophies.

The real stranger

Throughout his formative years, he navigated the transformative era of the alphabet reforms. His stance positioned him as one of the final Ottoman poets among the earliest of Turkish modern poets. He was influenced by classic Ottoman literature in his youth. His poems were published in various periodicals, like Agac, Ses, Hamle and Sokak.

During this time, some young poets manifested a desire to break the traditional boundaries of Turkish poetry, calling themselves the Garip (Strange). Represented by Orhan Veli Kanik, Melih Cevdet Anday and Oktay Rifat Horozcu, who opposed imagery, metaphor, harmony and poeticism in poetry, Asaf Halet was not included in their group, even though literary historians today consider Asaf Halet as "the real stranger".

He was not involved in any literary movement of his time. Although his peers mocked his poems and style, Halet never let go of his original voice. He used to carry flowers in a small vase in his jacket pocket, which led others to attempt to portray him as a 'bobstil’, a fashion-loving dandy. He became the subject of caricatures by artists of the period. With his distinctive qualities, he stood out as unique and individualistic.

Celebi penned one of the earliest examples of free verse poetry in modern Türkiye. While Western literary traditions predominantly influenced his contemporaries, Celebi's oeuvre reflects a unique fusion. In literary history, Asaf Halet Celebi's poetry is classified as core poetry ("saf şiir").

Om Mani Padme Hum

Asaf Halet steps onto the stage, holding an antique candlestick that resembles a firefly emerging from the darkness. He recites his poetry with a strong rhythm. His lines left an indelible impression on his audience at poetry matinees. In today's context, he was a slam poet of the 1940s. The powerful poems he presents serve as a significant example of that.

In 1940, during poetry matinees, the lines "I am melting in a sea Om Mani Padme Hum" from the poem "Sidharta" gained widespread recognition when they were published without Halet's knowledge in the magazine Yeni Ses (New Voice) by his friends.

With his keen interest in Sufism, Halet endeavoured to synthesise Oriental and Occidental thought by exploring Rumi and delving into the profound aspects of Buddhist philosophical thought.

Style and substance

Halet is both a poet and a thinker. He structured his poetry according to his intellectual pursuits. The year after publishing the collection Cuneyd, he released a book about Molla Camii, a significant Iranian poet inspired by Junayd of Baghdad. Another example of his work is "According to Pali Texts: Gotama Buddha," and which illustrates his intellectual pursuits.

Philosophically, Asaf Halet lived before his time. That's only one sign that he drew inspiration for his poetry from the classics and modernised them. As a multi-disciplinary and intercultural poet, he embraced East-West fusion.

To understand Celebi's poetry, readers need a broad intellectual background, a global perspective and an appreciation for different cultures.

This is why his audience was limited during his time. However, as Husrev Hatemi mentions, intellectuals such as Munevver Ayyaslı and Hilmi Ziya Ulken were among his admirers.

Poet Mevlut Ceylan, defined Asaf Halet Celebi as an "innovative cultural poet".

Asaf Halet was a reformist in art, and his poetry books were re-published only a short time ago. Ceylan says, "Halet's poetry exhibits resistance towards cultural colonialism with his use of the eastern ‘spices’. He was the last gentleman of Istanbul. The biggest reason why Celebi is one of the pioneering contemporary poets is his originality.”

Impact on generations

Asaf Halet stands as an enduring luminary, casting an indelible imprint upon the landscape of literary introspection and Turkish poetic expression.

During the transformative 1960s to the contemplative ethos of the 2020s, poets across diverse generations have meticulously analysed Halet's verses.

Within the corpus of his work, the discerning eye finds not merely a poetic discourse, but a nuanced interplay of innovation and tradition. In this exploration, the aficionado embarks upon and traces the poetic treasure that is Halet.

In an interview with TRT World, poet Husrev Hatemi, belonging to the generation of the ’60s and ’70s, has shed light on Halet, thus: “Asaf Halet was considered Sufi by poets who identified themselves as progressive in his time and snobbish by Islamist poets, because he was influenced by Asian mysticism and French culture. He should have received more recognition; his poetry did not get the appreciation he deserved."

In an interview with TRT World, poet Huseyin Atlansoy, belonging to the ’80s, provides more insight into Halet's impact as a poet.

Poet Huseyin Atlansoy describes the profound influence of Halet on Turkish poetry, stating, like 'He', 'Lamelif' title which were belonging to Ottoman alphabet letter or 'Cuneyd,' Asaf Halet's work can be perceived as 'vertical,' characterised by coherence, consistency and a thorough exploration of depth and breadth.

"The poet precedes the abstract, and the 'horizontal' dimension of the tangible world lies beyond Halet's poetic conception. This is why it is characterised as a 'self-contained experience' within Turkish poetry," Atlansoy said.

Atlansoy found it challenging to comprehend Halet's determination to distance himself from the post-World War II reality in his poetic work.

Kursad Kaan Arikan, a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at INALCO, elucidates the poetic conditions of Asaf Halet's era for TRT World.

“Even though Asaf Halet drew inspiration from Valery, his poetry is not a product of rationality. Halet's connection with his childhood and "dreams" is a product of the unconscious.”

Not only Asaf Halet, but also Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar, mention the influence of surrealism, which appears have a significant influence for that period.

"Dreams were a central element in the aesthetic sensibilities of the surrealists after the First World War, serving as a form of escape from the savagery of reality and a return to the inner world.”

Ahmet Murat, a poet from the ’90s, described the limited influence of Halet's poetry on his generation, in an interview with TRT World.

Halet's confidence manifests in his self-sewn colourful ties, the flowers adorning his jackets and his insistence on a distinctive sartorial style, even though the tone of his poetry wasn't fully understood in his own time.

Murat elaborates the influence of Halet on contemporary poets, stating, "Asaf Halet arrived as a stranger and continues to be perceived as such."

In an interview with TRT World, poet Ahmet Edip Basaran, belonging to the 2000s, says, “Halet's poetic corpus intricately explores the realms of the ‘dream’. Within an artistic landscape dominated by realist constraints, the imperative lies in discerning the cultural nuances of his poetry, appreciating the enigma and profundity he imparted on Turkish poetics."

Basaran characterises him as a "modern dervish" of his era, drawing inspiration from the Mevlevi Order and other mystical traditions.

Within Halet's oeuvre, the tendrils of dreams extend seamlessly into both the past and the future.

Basaran says, "Asaf Halet's pivotal role in establishing a contemporary poetic lexicon through the nuanced reconfiguration of language — deemed archaic in both form and substance — and his vivid depictions of life, straddling the concrete and abstract realities, represent a profound epoch for all succeeding generations within the domain of modern Turkish poetry."

Poet Elif Nuray tells TRT World, who gained prominence in the 2010s. Halet’s poetry is characterised by intricate layers, making access to his art a complex endeavour. His intellectual prowess was demonstrated through his proficiency in both Eastern and Western languages, his education in music, and his interest in various fields of art, imparting a unique flavour to his work.

This distinctiveness renders the emulation of Halet’s poetry nearly impossible. However, it inspires young poets, motivating them to chart their distinctive paths, as Elif Nuray has done.

Nuray adopts Halet’s poetic stance to describe him, asserting that the poet engages with the unconscious to unveil the accumulated states of mind through his artistic power.

Meanwhile, Ilker Nuri Ozturk, another poet from the 2010s, describes Asaf Halet's poetry to TRT World " Interwoven with various settings and characters, including intriguing places — like inside a mirror, a cave, a palace, a church, a coffin, the desert; and righteousness — like a wooden man, the Chinese princess, a cannibal woman and a headless body."

Poet Omer Fatih Andi, from the 2020s, explains the distinctiveness of Halet's poetry to TRT World.

“He saw the material reality of our world as a possibility opening to abstract ideas and dreams. According to him, what is essential is the individual's inner world. Therefore, he emphasises metaphysics in his poetry."

Compared to his contemporaries who were fed only on Western poetry, Asaf Halet was a breath of fresh air.

"Constructing a new understanding of poetry, he revealed that he adhered to the roots of Turkish poetics. Undoubtedly, with all these aspects, Celebi is inspiring for a young poet,” Andi said.

Another contemporary poet, Ahmet Olmez, who belongs to 2020s, recounts his first encounter with Celebi's poetry to TRT World.

The sources of Halet's poetry were cultural continuity and Orientalist spiritualism. He was not pursuing poetry that would appeal to everyone and captivate the masses. No matter how lofty this claim may seem, it undermines the poet and hinders him from finding the voice that could give meaning to his journey.

Olmez explains, "Asaf Halet sang his song with his unique calm and soft voice, thus leaving behind a faded but indelible colour. Poets like Halet are marvellous exceptions to our poetry."

The poet's afterlife

Asaf Halet Celebi's vast body of work has cemented his standing in Turkish literature. Overlooked by his peers during his lifetime, it was only after his death that his poetry received due recognition.

As many authors and poets wrote about him after his death, well-known Turkish author Refik Halit Karay mentioned that "it was more likely to encounter Asaf Halet in the Old City of Istanbul. Halet was a child of Istanbul."

"I've not fallen from heaven onto this place; this place is my Istanbul; these people are mine."