PASSIONATE POETRY | 'Milk and Honey' by Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur’s first poetry collection, 'Milk and Honey', rose to cult-like status in the past few years, bringing the genre of poetry some much needed love.
'Milk and Honey' centres around the theme of female empowerment and passionately discusses topics of self-love, domestic abuse and heartbreak. But reader beware: you'll need a box of tissues at the ready when reading this touching collection.
The collection is divided into four parts: the hurting, the loving, the breaking and the healing. Although using stages of an unhealthy and outright abusive relationship with men as the stage for her poetry, Kaur is actually discussing her relationship with herself in a bold and breathtaking way.
If you looked at every review - verbal or written - on this poetry collection, the main word that would be passed around is powerful. There is a short, sharp and bittersweet feeling to every page of Kaur’s work. Sometimes there may only be three lines on the page, but those three lines will consume the reader to no end. A lot of the time, readers will be left raw after experiencing that perfectly captured sentiment they never had the words for before. Other times, they'll be left gawping at the words - deliberately left out.
One of the most unique things about this poetry collection is that it is very similar to spoken-word poetry. Reading her poems aloud will sound and feel entirely different - and better, which is a kind of beauty in itself. This is made possible by the fact that the language is simple but lyrical, passionate yet full of subtlety, and that makes Kaur's poetry all the more accessible to readers of all ages. The greatest thing about Kaur and her poetry is that she makes people want to read again, really devour a book and relate beautiful poetry once more.
Generally speaking, women in particular have been able to identify themselves, their sisters, mothers, friends and even strangers on the street in Kaur's poetry, and now they are hungry for more. Kaur has done more than make poetry on trend right now, she has brought to life a genre for new and adventurous readers.
There are many little things that can be critiqued and praised in this collection, such as Kaur’s complete lack of punctuation and capital letters; her use of art to fill a page reflects her writing style - simple but poignant; her forthrightness about sex and masturbation, and how men are given ownership over women’s bodies; her beautifully feminist moments where she calls out to womankind on the page. But these are things best discovered by the reader, for it is the balance of micro and macro levels, and the ability to be grand and intimate that Kaur does best, and no words other than her own can capture that essence.
Rupi Kaur’s latest work, 'The Sun and Her Flowers' is also available, and word has it it is just as good as her debut.
'Milk and Honey' is available in all good bookstores.
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