Rupi Kaur: The Poet You Cannot Miss Having On Your Bookshelf

Credits - Rupi Kaur|Veeps

“I want to apologize to all the women I have called pretty

Before I have called them intelligent or brave.

Not because I don’t think you are not pretty,

But because I realize you are so much more than that.”

-Rupi Kaur

Introduction

Rupi Kaur is an Indian-born, Canadian poet, illustrator, photographer, and author. As a 21-year old university student. Rupi wrote and self-published her first collection, Milk and Honey(2014). Her book has sold 2.5 million copies and is translated into 25 languages.

The sun and her flowers were published on 3 October 2017. Her most recent book, entitled Home Body, was published on 17 November 2020 and it soon became one of the best-selling books of 2020. Her followers call her the “best selling Instagram poet”.

Rupi Kaur draws her inspiration from Sharon Olds, Amrita Sher Gil, Frida Kahlo, and Adele. Her work highlights issues like body insecurities, mental trauma, sexual assault, and abuse. But what’s best about her work is that hundreds and thousands of women do not feel alone. They feel validated and empowered when they know that they are not alone. 

Interesting Life Facts

Poetry is her second love. In an interview with Vogue magazine, she expresses that she has a romantic relationship with poetry. It is a spiritual connection that brings her closer to who she is meant to be. She was not writing to be a poet or because she wanted to publish a book, she says. She was writing because she loved it. Something which started off as a hobby soon became a career for her. 

People appreciate poetry as a medium to heal. Having just left an abusive relationship, through her poetry, Rupi Kaur attempts to articulate her personal trauma. Her art is truly an awe-inspiring work of creativity.

The drawings in her poetry arrived before her interest in writing. The way they picked up her voice felt heartwarming to her. The illustrations in her book are mostly about love, hatred, women, bodies, strength, and loss. It is like she wanted to do something different and push the message a little bit further. Who does not like good words scribbled alongside beautiful pieces of art?

Response to Patriarchy 

Rupi Kaur in her interview once said that most people think being a woman is about censorship when it actually isn’t. Her response was both loved and criticized. Her poems talk about female sexual desires which were and still are considered taboo in many societies.

Truly said, “we can deviate from these stereotypes only if we accept what is real and what it takes to be kind”. Her art is something that made women feel confident about their bodies and allowed them to let go of these ideas of “a perfect body”. It is time we learn to accept what is natural and embrace it with all that we have!

Credits - She Reads

 

Famous Works 

Her favorite lines from her book Milk and Honey are:

I like the way the stretch marks on my thighs look human and

That we’re so soft yet rough and wild

When we need to be, I love that about us

How capable we are of feeling

How unafraid we are of breaking

And tend to our wounds with grace

Just being a woman calling myself

A woman makes me utterly whole and complete.

Rupi Kaur: “How we treat ourselves is the way how we teach others to love us”

Her poems are usually written in lowercase. She was inspired by her mother to draw. The inspiration for the title for a book came from a poem talking about women surviving tough times,” smooth as milk and as thick as honey”.

In March 2015, Rupi Kaur posted a series of photos on Instagram highlighting womanhood by depicting menstrual blood stains on clothing and sheets. Her pictures were taken down by Instagram. However, she spoke about the entire incident on Twitter and the pictures were soon brought back. It is one of her notable attempts to abolish the pre-existing sensors for women.

Lastly, after reading the book “Milk and Honey” one can say that it is breathtakingly aesthetic and pleasing to read. What we learn from her poetry is that the only relationship we need to have is the one with ourselves. It is never too late to speak about our dreams and set boundaries for other people. You do you! It is all about what makes us happy!

Written By - Rachita Arora