Haydar Ergulen is one of the important poets of the recent generation in contemporary Turkish literature. Born in 1956 in Eskişehir, Türkeli, he graduated from the Sociology Department at Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi (Middle East Technical University) in Ankara. Among his published poetry books are: "Sokak Prensesi" (Street Princess/1991), "Eskiden Terzi" (Once a Tailor), "40 Şiir ve Bir" (40 Poems and One/1997), "Karton Valiz" (Cardboard Suitcase/1999). With "40 Poems and One", Ergulen won the prestigious 1997 "Behçet Necatigil Poetry Award" as well as the "Orhon Murat Arıburna Poetry Award". His "Once a Tailor" brought him the 1996 "Halil Kocagoz Poetry Award". For some of his books, he used the pen name "Hafız".