Biography


Akgün Akova was born in 1962 -purposely in Akyazı, so that a
significant trio would be formed by the first syllables.

He wanted to become a performing bear taimer. He later learned that
the tambourine was used as a means of torture.
     
For days he searched for migratory birds on maps. He couldn't find
their addresses for the letters he'd written.
     
His childhood ended when he discovered that Einstein and Frankestein
were not brothers. He heard it when Uncle Albert said "Imagination is
more important than knowledge."  Although he wasn't officially born at
that time.
     
When he felt bored, he finished Gebze High School, Department of
Chemical Engineering at Hacettepe University, and then the Institute
of Economic Management at Istanbul University.  He hung his diplomas
on the wall.
     
His first poem was published in Milliyet Sanat Dergisi, the arts
journal of Milliyet, in 1984.
     
He committed a lot of crimes: his hands are covered in poetry. He
killed all the poets who influenced him one by one.  He's become
himself.
     
Whenever he reads a poem, he asks "What does the poets not want to say
in this poem?"
     
Some of his works have been translated into French, Bosnian, English,
German and Katalan.
     
Although he welcomes the words "Thou shalt love humanbeings", he tends
to admire animals more than people.

His poetry books are:
Sansürttürme Şair Abüüü (1991)
Pepetye (1992)
Baba Bana Bağırma, "Father, don't shout at me" (1994)
Aşk ve Kuyrukluyıldız, "Love and a Comet" (1997)
Seçme Şiirler, "Selected Poems" (1998)

His essays are collected in:
Güzel Atlar Ülkesi, "Land of Lovely Horses", (1996)
Yıkık Bir Çocuk Bahçesi Gibiydi Yüzü, "Her Face Was Like A
Ruined Playground" (1997)