Tekeian, Vagan

Born Jan. 21 (Feb. 2), 1878, in Constantinople; died Apr. 4,1945, in Cairo. Armenian poet.

Tekeian traveled through Western Europe and later lived in Egypt. In 1905, together with M. Kiurchian, he founded the journal Shirak in Cairo. Beginning in 1915 he published the newspaper Arev, and beginning in 1922, in Constantinople, the newspaper Bartsravank.

Tekeian’s first collection of poetry, Meditations, was published in 1901 in Paris. Later collections were A Marvelous Sunday (1914), From Midnight to Dawn (1920), Love (1933), and Armenian Songs (1943). Tekeian’s lyric poetry is an original combination of symbolism and romanticism. His works deal with the world view of the persecuted and unfortunate, express homesickness, and criticize bourgeois life. Tekeian wrote poignant verse about the Armenian tragedy of 1915. He welcomed the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia. Tekeian also wrote the novel God Willing.