A Review of Women Writers - Rupi Kaur

milk and honey is

split into 4 parts

the hurting

the loving

the breaking

the healing

the first chapter is a struggle
it may be because too many women relate to this reality
to issues with fathers
to sexual relationships that may have left us somewhat damaged
but as the book continues there is a growing awareness and strength at how it is possible to take back control

in my world poetry does not have the attention it deserves
I have been put off by the thought of an academic level of poetry that is distant to my existence
a belief that you need to know all the words
before you can use them
but poetry has always been something I have done
without even recognising the words as poetry they have seeped out of me in my darkest times

Kaur has made poetry an accepted form of expression
the power of her words are not lessened by the flow of simplicity and beauty of a few words taking up a page to portray a message:

“i am learning
how to love him
by loving myself”

that is it

a subtle sketch accompanies these words but that is a page in part of the ‘loving’ section

however simple the words may be there is a strong message within them

milk and honey focuses on themes such as love, loss, trauma, sexual violence, womanhood, and healing

words from a woman
to all women
and men
to help understand

I was lucky to stumble across Kaur doing a poetry reading only 20 minutes walk from my apartment. I spent the afternoon reading her work, watching her talks and studying her photography. I didn’t believe that I was really going to be able to see her. But sure enough, I arrived just as she was beginning.

Kaur spoke her words to an audience of critics and fans, it was a magical event. The stars above dulled out by the light that shone in the Museum courtyard. An old brick building that held history in its walls. Trees shot out between seats and on the stage sat a woman.

Who giggled. Who read her words and was just that. A woman. She may have a power with her words, but she is not a superwoman. No special powers, just a story which she had the courage to share with the world.

Kaur has done TED talks and has a history with spoken poetry, in this video she reads a poem following the relationship she has with her body, and how she found the strength to reclaim it after it was victim to abuse.

“Home — home is where I was. No homesickness. Writing became a limb, an extension of my being.”

She said.

I have also watched her talk about creativity, resilience, and her success. A message about authenticity and the lack of ability to force herself to write.

The underlying strength and femininity — one in itself — in the poetry and the works of art from Kaur are of a nature that touches the heart and makes me analysis my role as a woman. A struggle that comes with undervaluing my own strengths.

Another concept in Kaur’s work that I respect is the use of her art to remove the stigma attached to menstruation.

Her poem ‘menstruation cycle’ discusses societies incomplete view of a woman’s body:

“apparently it is ungraceful of me
to mention my period in public
cause the actual biology
of my body is too real

It is okay to sell what’s
between a women’s legs
more than it is okay to
mention its inner workings

the recreational use of
the body is seen as
beautiful while
the nature is
seen as ugly”

Poetry also has a story to tell, and Kaur’s popularity has shown us that there is value in that story.