Yunus Emre

1238 - 1320

Yunus Emre was one of the greatest and the deepest poets of the Turkish folk literature from 13th-14th century. He was a great poet who managed to turn the Anatolian dialect into a language of literature and who succeeded in reciting poetry and chanting hymns in pure Turkish. He has written about issues which looked extremely complex.

Written in a pure and easily understood Turkish, some of his poems, which seem to be over simple at first glance, carry a deep meaning and have a certain quality which grips the reader and excites him, weaving a special magic. Yunus, in most of his poems declares his great love for the God. He has felt the elusive excitements of the love of God and also made others to feel it. He was a follower of Bektashi Order of Alevi sect.

In Cesme town near Izmir every year there is an international song festival dedicated to this great folk poet.