Poet Ahmet Telli honored at memorial service before funeral

The literary community and supporters gathered in Ankara to bid farewell to acclaimed poet Ahmet Telli at a memorial service held at the Chamber of Civil Engineers' Necatibey building. Telli, who had been receiving treatment at Ankara Bilkent Hospital since April and was intubated on July 8, passed away on July 10.

The hall was filled beyond capacity, with attendees spilling outside to pay their respects. The ceremony was attended by prominent figures including DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, several DEM Party and CHP deputies, numerous writers, poets, artists, as well as Telli's family, relatives, and loved ones. The event was marked by applause and the singing of the "Internationale."

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My father's greatest legacy to us is not just his books, but he left us the legacy of living with honor, conscience, solidarity, and not losing it.

During the service, Grup Yorum members performed "Sıyrılıp Gelen," a poem by Telli that they had set to music. Ahmet Telli's daughter, Eylül Telli, spoke about her father's legacy, stating, "My father's greatest legacy to us is not just his books, but he left us the legacy of living with honor, conscience, solidarity, and not losing it." She added that his spirit and thoughts would continue to live on.

Ahmet Telli, a significant representative of social realism in poetry, was known for his unique style that blended melancholy, rebellion, love, and resistance. Born in 1946, he had a career as a teacher before being detained and removed from his post during a period of martial law in 1981. After his trial, he worked in publishing, editing, and bookselling. He returned to teaching in 1993 following a court decision and later retired. Telli's extensive body of work includes collections like "Yangın Yılları" and "Hüznün İsyan Olur," and he received numerous awards throughout his career.

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The poet continues to live with the fire of his poems of silence.