Following Uzbekistan’s independence, the social transformations within the country began to manifest in its literature. Poets who spent their childhood during the independence period—or were born afterward—pursued new aesthetic directions. Referred to as the “Independence Period of Uzbek Literature,” this era brought significant shifts to Uzbek poetry. The enthusiasm and optimism generated by independence became evident in the works of young poets, who, liberated from the dominance of the former hegemonic language, increasingly showcased the expressive capacity of Uzbek. They also began to address spiritual themes without ideological constraints. Among these poets is Tursunov Rustem Mirshahidovich, known by his pen name Rustem Mirvahit. Having started writing in middle school, he is well versed in Russian and classical literature. His poems bear the influence of Neva’i, Muqimiy, Agahi, and Mayakovski; however, his foremost literary model is Vahidov. This study analyzes his literary identity through his sole poetry collection, Seningdirman.

Rustem Mirvahit, contemporary Uzbek poetry, contemporary Uzbek poets, Uzbek literature, Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan.