The Ghazal: Ottoman Heartbreak Poetry

The Gazel is the absolute king of Ottoman poetry and basically the original heartbreak anthem.

Think of it as a lyrical flex where poets like Fuzûlî poured out their souls about impossible

love and beauty. It is not a long story, just a short burst of emotion,

usually five to fifteen couplets. The rhyme scheme is the secret sauce, starting with double

rhymes and keeping that rhythm flowing until the end. You have the Matla to start the vibe

and the Makta to finish it, where the poet drops their nickname like a mic drop.

If every line hits equally hard, it is a masterpiece called yek-avaz, proving these poets

were the original hopeless romantics.