Second New

The Second New is a modernist poetic movement that emerged in Turkish poetry from the 1950s onward as a reaction against traditional poetic understanding and especially against the Garip Movement. This movement draws attention through abstract and associative modes of expression, focusing more on form imagery and linguistic innovation than on meaning. Poets liberated language from classical rules and prioritized individuality and originality in poetry. The Second New is regarded as a pivotal turning point in the modernization of Turkish poetry.

History and Emergence

The Second New arose in the late 1940s and early 1950s primarily as a response to the Garip Movement’s preference for simplicity and colloquial language. The Odd Ones defended simplicity everyday language and social engagement in poetry while relegating traditional meter rhyme and ornamentation to the background. In contrast the poets of the Second New argued that poetry should be enriched through the formal and structural properties of language itself and sought to elevate poetry to a new aesthetic level using abstraction and free association techniques.

The term “Second New” was first used by Muzaffer Erdost in 1956. Erdost’s poems published during this period independently and without mutual awareness were labeled as “Second New” giving rise to the name. It is also noted that the term “First New” acquired its meaning only after the emergence of the Second New helping to define the earlier movement.

The poets of the movement were influenced by Western modernist currents such as Surrealism Dadaism and Letrism and drew inspiration from other art forms including painting music and cinema. In this regard the Second New was not merely a poetic movement within Turkish literature but a broader innovative and experimental artistic trend.

Core Principles and Characteristics

The Second New embraced a poetic understanding in which meaning is not paramount; instead form linguistic play and abstract imagery take center stage. Emerging in the mid-1950s as a reaction against the Garip Movement’s simple and accessible language this movement viewed poetry as a linguistic phenomenon and emphasized that poetry is more than a vehicle for meaning—it is a structure in its own right.

Poets emphasized individuality and freedom in poetry aiming to prompt readers to perceive poems on multiple layers through obscurity of meaning abstraction and association. A fundamental approach of the movement was to transcend the rules of Turkish language creating deviations and innovations in language. Conscious violations of phonological morphological syntactic semantic and orthographic-punctuation norms stretched the boundaries of language.

The poets of the Second New distanced themselves from everyday spoken language and folk culture breaking away from traditional meter rhyme and verse forms in search of original structures more aligned with the essence of poetry. Among their sources of inspiration were Western movements such as Surrealism Dadaism and Letrism as well as influences from painting music and cinema. They sought to create a new reality through irrational and logic-transcending poetic thought.

Existential concerns of the modern individual—such as loneliness alienation and the meaninglessness of life—were frequently explored in Second New poetry. These poems can also be read as a response to the negative effects of modernity on the human psyche.

Linguistic and Aesthetic Innovations

The Second New marked radical changes in poetic language. A deliberate deviation from traditional poetic writing and punctuation rules is evident. Poets began proper nouns with lowercase letters capitalized common nouns as if they were proper names and preferred to begin lines with lowercase words. They stretched the rules of word spacing by using words in unconventional ways and employed punctuation marks beyond their conventional functions creatively applying long dashes forward slashes and parentheses to add new meanings to the structure of poetry.

These linguistic deviations and rule-breaking stem from a desire to enrich language deepen the reader’s experience of reading poetry and generate new perceptions. Unusual associations such as synesthesia and meaning production through association stand out in their poetry.

The poets of the Second New did not view words merely as carriers of meaning; the form sound and abstract imagery evoked by words became essential building blocks of poetry. Word deformations and the creation of new vocabulary contributed to semantic ambiguity enhancing the uniqueness of poetry.

Cemal Süreya’s statement “Poetry came and rested on the word” encapsulates this linguistic approach. In Second New poetry the word itself independent of its meaning became the fundamental building block of poetry. Consequently semantic clarity receded into the background while form and sound came to the forefront.

Representatives and Representative Works

The leading poets of the Second New movement although not forming a unified group exhibited similar approaches in poetic language and aesthetic understanding.

• Cemal Süreya (1931–1990): Known for works such as “Üvercinka” and “Göçebe.” In his poetry he foregrounded the formal and sonic qualities of language often leaving meaning in the background.
• Edip Cansever (1928–1986): Known for poetry collections such as “Yerçekimli Karanfil” and “Tragedyalar.” He developed a distinctive language in poems exploring themes of individual existence and loneliness.
• Ece Ayhan (1931–2002): Known for works such as “Ortodokslular” and “Sivil Şiirler” he had a distinct and harsh style incorporating political and cultural references into poetry.
• Turgut Uyar (1927–1985): Among the most original voices of the Second New with books such as “Dünyanın En Güzel Arabistanı” and “Tütünler Islak.” He was innovative in language and form.
• İlhan Berk (1918–2008): Noted for poems such as “Günaydın Yeryüzü” and “Pera.” He experimented with wordplay neologisms and formal innovations.
• Sezai Karakoç (1933–2021): With works such as “Mona Rosa” and “Şahdamar” he added mystical and metaphysical dimensions to modern poetry.
• Ülkü Tamer (1937–2018): With works such as “Soğuk Otların Altında” and “Gök Onları Yanıltmaz” he blended social themes with individuality.

Influences and Criticisms

The Second New occupies an important place in Turkish poetry as a radical movement that prioritized form language and imagery over meaning. While the movement had positive effects in liberating poetry and fostering linguistic innovation it also faced sharp criticism due to its obscurity and abstraction.

Upon its emergence the Second New was subjected to harsh criticism labeled as “meaningless poetry” “word salad” “formalism” and “disconnection from society.” Prominent poets of the era such as Behçet Necatigil and Atilla İlhan maintained distance from or criticized the movement. It was accused of weakening ties to social issues and withdrawing from society.