Hey guys!
So this week I have been reading Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey, a poetry book of how to survive and heal. To me, this poetry is raw and emotional. It isn't sugarcoated or punctuated because it doesn't need to be for the very real reason that Rupi has poured her heart into her work. Here is a list of my top ten favourite poems from Milk and Honey, and why they are my favourites.
Poem One
love is not cruel
we are cruel
love is not a game
we have made a game
out of love
I think this is beautifully sad because it's true; we have made a game out of tearing others down and sometimes things don't work out because of it.
Poem Two
other women's bodies
are not our battlegrounds
We need to learn to respect women and stop tearing each other down; we are all going through this thing called life and having people bully us is not going to get them anywhere. It just shows how miserable those people are to have to tear others down for their own enjoyment.
Poem Three
sex takes the consent of two
if one person is lying there not doing anything
cause they are not ready
or not in the mood
or simply don't want to
yet the other is having sex
with their body it's not love
it is rape
This is so important. Rupi talks openly about rape in her poetry and she pours her heart into her work. If someone doesn't want to have sex, and the other does, it is rape. It's that simple. It is rape.
Poem Four
i do not want to have you
to fill the empty parts of me
i want to be full on my own
i want to be so complete
i could light a whole city
and then
i want to have you
cause the two of us combined
could set it on fire
This is one of the most beautiful poems in my opinion. Rupi is saying that we should all learn to love ourselves and be able to be on our own, but it's even better to have someone by your side.
Poem Five
i need someone
who knows struggle
as well as i do
someone
willing to hold my feet in their lap
on days it is too difficult to stand
the type of person who gives
exactly what i need
before i even know i need it
the type of lover who hears me
even when i do not speak
is the type of understanding
i demand
- the type of lover i need
This poem is saying what every person wants in a relationship and what we need. We need someone to understand us and be with us even on the worst days of our lives. We need someone who will know we're upset before we even speak; someone who will always be there no matter how hard the road gets.
Poem Six
every time you
tell your daughter
you yell at her
out of love
you teach her to confuse
anger with kindness
which seems like a good idea
till she grows up to
trust men who hurt her
cause they look so much
like you
- to fathers with daughters
This one really hits home for me. I've had bad relationships because of my relationship with men and not having any male role models to look up to. I didn't have a fatherly figure. This is true - when you yell at your child "out of love" you are damaging her future relationships and giving her trust issues - especially with men.
Poem Seven
the thing
worth holding on to
would not have let go
This poem is so simple yet it touches a nerve. If someone doesn't make the effort to be in your life, to fight for you, then they are not worth your time, energy or tears.
Poem Eight
when you are broken
and he has left you
do not question
whether you were
enough
the problem was
you were so enough
he was not able to carry it
He couldn't handle you at your worst, so don't let him see you at your best. You deserve someone who is going to be able to be there on your bad days and who will have a blast with you on the good.
Poem Nine
i had to leave
i was tired of
allowing you to
make me feel
anything less
than whole
Have enough self respect and dignity to walk away when you deserve to be treated better.
Poem Ten
it takes grace
to remain kind
in cruel situations
Such a simple yet effective message. Rise above those who are cruel and learn to counteract that cruelty with kindness.
So there you have it! Some of my favourite inspirational poems from Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey. I can't wait for the release of her latest poetry book, The Sun and her Flowers!
Tell me in the comments some of your favourite poems!
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