MYSTICAL JOURNEY IN MEHMET OZGER’S POETRY

The subject of Sufi in Turkish poetry has been discussed since the first times as a problem of the presence of poetry. Sufism has been a nurturing and maturing source for Turkish poets since the spreading of Islam among Turkish people until today. During Classic Literature period, poems were generally written for the disseminating and understanding of mystical teaching. The poets generally prefer to express their ideas through generally-accepted metaphorical statements. This situation leaves its place to images in the modern poetry. One of the poets who benefits from Sufism and who express his thoughts through images is Mehmet Özger. In this study, mystical elements which are found in Mehmet Özger’s first poem book Muhtasar Cinnet Risalesi (published by Yedi Iklim Publications) will be discussed. Mehmet Özger will be evaluated as a young poet who begins his poetry journey with a first book. Within this framework, besides the existence of mystical thought and its reflection in poetry, the poet's outlook on life and his philosophy of life world will be studied. The poet’s approaches about sufistic terms and subjects such as unity of existence, hope and fear, spiritual journey, body and soul, love and mind will be discussed.