Tevfik Kolaylı, better known by his pen name Neyzen Tevfik, born on March 24, 1879, in Muğla, Ottoman Empire, was a Turkish poet, satirist, and ney performer. He learned Persian as a young man and became a Mevlevi in İzmir before moving to Istanbul. In 1902, he joined the Bektashi order. Tevfik's satirical poetry often critiqued tyranny and injustice, leading to his exile to Egypt in 1903. His virtuosity with the ney earned him fame in popular Turkish culture. Notable works include Nihavent Saz Semaisi. Tevfik's religious views were complex, often clashing with orthodox Islamic doctrine. He was featured in the sculptor Gürdal Duyar's monument Şairler Sofası alongside other poets. Tevfik spent his later years at Bakırköy Mental Hospital and died on January 28, 1953, in Istanbul.
