Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
This study focuses on the critical voice that dominates Rıza Çolakoğlu’s poetry, analyzing how themes of social decay and moral decline in modern times are reflected through poetic language. His poems, while drawing from individual sensitivity, emerge as the voice of a collective conscience, dealing with issues such as moral corruption, commercialization of values, the loss of quality in education, economic inequality, the disintegration of family structures, and cultural degeneration. Drawing upon the tradition of folk poetry, Çolakoğlu employs a plain yet impactful style, enriched with irony, satire, and metaphor to expose structural injustices and societal contradictions.
Rather than being mere personal lamentations, his poems can be read as literary diagnoses of his era’s social pathologies. His poetic style combines elements of cultural heritage with a sharp awareness of contemporary challenges. In this respect, Çolakoğlu does not consider poetry as a purely aesthetic endeavor but as a moral responsibility. Poetry, in his hands, becomes a means to awaken society, remind it of forgotten values, and preserve the voice of conscience. This study reveals that Çolakoğlu’s poetry functions not only as a literary legacy but also as a medium for ethical and social awakening.
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