Photo courtesy of the Nâzım Hikmet Poetry Festival
Nâzım Hikmet
It seems that we say this every year, but it's also true every year: we need poetry now more than ever.
Now going on twelve years, the Nâzım Hikmet Poetry Festival—founded to recognize the work and social engagement of the Turkish poet, playwright, and novelist Nâzim Hikmet—is Cary's answer to supporting the work of international poets. This year's festival will take place on Sunday, March 29.
A poetry prize, in conjunction with the festival, is also open yearly. This year's prize is judged by Kemi Alabi, Hala Alyan, Alice Derry, and Heather June Gibbons. Alongside the prizes ($300 for first prize, $200 for second prize, and $100 for third prize), winners will be invited to read their work at the 12th Nazim Hikmet Poetry Festival, will be published in the festival anthology hasret/longing, and will have their work nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
The entry fee for a submission of three poems is $12; a full list of submission guidelines can be found here. But don't sit on your poems too long—submissions close on Friday, January 10!
Hikmet was imprisoned often for radical beliefs and involvement in the Communist party; his populist poetry, though beloved, was considered "subversive" and banned in Turkey for twenty-seven years. He died in 1963. Since then, his poetry has been translated into more than fifty languages.
These events are organized by the American Turkish Association of North Carolina and Duke University Middle East Studies Center with support from the Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.
Contact deputy arts and culture editor Sarah Edwards at sedwards@indyweek.com.
Support independent local journalism. Join the INDY Press Club to help us keep fearless watchdog reporting and essential arts and culture coverage viable in the Triangle.
