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Sunday September 14 2025

33 years without Huseyn Arif: a tribute to poet’s legacy

14 September 2025 16:17 (UTC+04:00)
33 years without Huseyn Arif: a tribute to poet’s legacy

Huseyn Arif, a prominent representative of Azerbaijani poetry of the 20th century, created valuable works on the basis of the rich artistic and poetic heritage of our people. His poetic world is broad in terms of subject matter, and his works retain their power of meaning even today. The breath of life itself is felt in the poet's works, distinguished by their natural and lively language. It is no coincidence that Huseyn Arif's poems have often been turned into song lyrics. He performed human values ​​such as the Motherland, motherland, and love for one's children in a style that is unlike any other.

Today marks 33 years since the death of Huseyn Arif, laureate of the State Prize, People's Poet, and prominent representative of 20th-century Azerbaijani poetry, Azernews reports.

Huseyn Huseynzadeh was born on June 15, 1924, in the village of Yenigün, Gazakh (the village is currently part of the Agstafa district).

The play "Azad", based on the libretto of the poet, who began his literary activity during the Second World War, was staged at the Opera and Ballet Theater in 1957, and the play of the same name, written based on the poem "On the Road", was staged at the Young Spectators Theater in 1974. In 1971, he was awarded the "Golden Sickle" award for the poem "Mountain Village". His works have been translated into the languages ​​of the peoples of the former USSR and a number of foreign countries. Music has been composed for his poems. In 1976, he participated in the Sarajevo International Poetry Days, and in 1979, in Libya, he participated in the "Days of the USSR". He worked as the head of the department at the Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of Azerbaijan, the senior editor at the Fiction Editorial Office of "Azernashr", the head of the Fiction Editorial Office of "Ganjlik" Publishing House, and the chairman of the Azerbaijan Ashiqlar Union.

Huseyn Arif wrote valuable works based on the rich artistic and poetic heritage of our people, reflecting the epic thinking and ethnographic memory. With his works on the theme of nature, he calls on the reader to feel and protect Mother Nature, to appreciate the native land. The main goal of the poet, who was always among the people, was the glorification of love for the Motherland, spiritual and moral riches in unity with the beauties of nature.

Huseyn Arif is one of those famous people who have many anecdotes and silly stories circulating about his name, and even a book has been published collecting such anecdotes and stories. However, all the silly stories and stories not only do not damage his poetic seriousness, but on the contrary, they bring him closer to the people and earn him the love of the people with his sincerity.

The People's Poet, who died in Baku on September 14, 1992, was buried next to his illegitimate son in his native village.

A memorial plaque has been placed on the wall of the house where the poet once lived in Baku. One of the streets in the city of Khirdalan, in Agstafa, as well as the Children's Music School in Agstafa, is named after Huseyn Arif. In 2010, a film called "I am Huseyn Arif..." was shot. Many poems and verses to his poems have been written in his name, and his work has been the subject of literary and scientific writings and research works.

His work continues to retain its importance in the education of the younger generation today, and as long as our people and language live, Huseyn Arif's poetry will live, be loved, and studied.

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