43. Schlechtes Gedicht

Die New Perspectives Quarterly führte in ihrer Winterausgabe 2003 ein Gespräch mit Orhan Pamuk, u.a. über Erdogan und sein Gedichtzitat:

NPQ | The „satanic verses“ that Erdogan recited in 1997 read: „The mosques are our barracks, the minarets are our bayonets.“ What is this notorious poem that is keeping the new leader of Turkey out of parliament?

PAMUK | That’s the irony of ironies. It is written by a Kurd who was the greatest theoretician of Turkish nationalism. This guy was also a poet and once wrote this poem. The Islamists liked the poem but added two lines. It’s a semi-kitsch, semi-Islamic poem about „mosques as barracks.“ Now, Erdogan is not a very literary man. He just read the poem at some meeting with some old politicians not expecting too much. And he also, ironically, read this poem in one of the most Kurdish populated towns. It’s not even a good poem!