Jabir Novruz (born Cabir Mirzəbəy oğlu Novruzov, 12 March 1933 – died 12 December 2002) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet poet, translator, editor, and secretary of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers for three decades. Considered one of the most prominent authors of modern Azerbaijani poetry, his work is known for a romantic style that inspired patriotism. He was active in bringing important national issues to the attention of his fellow citizens, and was elected to the National Assembly in 1995. Through his translations, Novruz brought world poetry to the people of Azerbaijan, and his own works have been translated and published in other languages and have also been used as lyrics in many popular Azerbaijani songs.[1]
Biography
Jabir Novruz was born in the village of Upa in Khizi District. After completing secondary school he studied at primary-school teachers' training college and in 1952 entered the Journalism Department at Baku State University. A year later, on the advice of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers, he was sent to the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow to continue his studies, graduating in 1957.[2]
Jabir Novruz started his career at the literary department of the evening newspaper Baku in 1958. He was employed as editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Azerbaijan in the years 1967–1970, and the newspaper Edebiyyat ve injesent in 1991–1993. He was the secretary of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers in 1970–1997. Owing to his literary translations, Azerbaijani readers have been exposed to numerous examples of world literature.
Major themes in his poetry
Jabir Novruz's poetry is a synthesis of Azerbaijani literary traditions with modern literary currents. Early in his career his poems earned national popularity for their humanist, spiritual and patriotic values. His works of lyric and epic poetry are notable for artistic character and thematic variety, yet have an elegant simplicity of literary language. Anxiety for the fate of the Homeland is typical in his poetry, inspiring a patriotic soul. The many songs composed for his poems are popular in Azerbaijani music, and most of Novruz's works have been translated and published in other languages.
Social-political sphere
Jabir Novruz had been an active participant of the social and political events that occurred in Azerbaijan. He wrote for the common citizen, and gave objective estimates of dangerous events. In 1995, Jabir Novruz was elected a deputy of the Milli Məclis, the National Legislative Assembly of Azerbaijan.
