Poet Ali Ural Discusses İsmet Özel's Perspective on Poetry and the World
Highlighting Özel's deep connection to his identity as a poet, Ural remarked, "When he says, 'I am İsmet Özel, a poet, at forty,' he crowns his life with poetry at the age of 40. Now, 40 years later, he remains as brave, honorable, and rebellious as ever, with a silent and melancholic side that nurtures his poetry."
Ural described Özel as a "stormy poet," whose influence transcends the literary world: "He drags not only leaves but entire trees with him. Every noteworthy poet since his time has been carefully following his steps, trying to understand his contribution to Turkish poetry."
"Poets Who Adapt to the World Can't Write Poetry"
According to Ural, Özel believes that real poetry turns away from trivial values. Ural elaborated, "He speaks of the connection between poetry and a dignified society. He believes that shoulders are as important as the head because the head stands on the shoulders. In his youth, he chased after an honorable head, later searching for the shoulders on which that head would stand. These shoulders form the foundation of poetry, the very platform that gives meaning to poetry."
Touching on Özel's outlook on life, Ural shared a profound statement he heard from Özel: "A poet who adapts to the world cannot write poetry." Ural added, "Özel says in another poem, 'I am famous for walking toward the world.' The world he walks toward is not the familiar one. To him, fleeing the world doesn't mean avoiding life, but rather looking at it anew, much like Ahmet Haşim's idea that every traveler is a temporary poet."
"İsmet Özel Upholds Mehmet Akif Ersoy's Legacy"
Ural recounted a memorable bus journey with Özel, where they discussed the significance of poetry. Ural mentioned how some poets produce subpar poems alongside their masterpieces, to which Özel responded with a military analogy: "Just as there are soldiers fighting on the frontlines, there are soldiers peeling potatoes behind the lines. Those peeling potatoes are just as important as those on the battlefield."
Ural emphasized how Özel's poems often resonate deeply and unexpectedly: "His poems, especially 'Amentü' and 'The Lines on the Back of the Last Photo Smiling at My Executioner,' explode like mines within us, even when we're least expecting it."
He concluded by highlighting Özel's role in continuing Mehmet Akif Ersoy's anti-imperialist struggle: "Özel is raising Akif's flag high, and for his readers, poetry becomes more than just art—it becomes a vigil, a patrol duty, much like the title of his book The Poet's Patrol. Readers, in turn, embark on a long journey with him, through both his poetry and his essays, forming a deep bond with the poet."
