Rupi Kaur: Milk and Honey by Yael Engineta
From Glides Volume 12

Rupi Kaur is a famous poet on Instagram. She has gained recognition during the past few years for her feminist short poems. She has since written a book of poems entitled Milk and Honey, which has now become one of New York Times best-sellers. This book is passionately dedicated to the women’s empowerment movement.

 

how is it so easy for you

to be kind to people he asked

 

milk and honey dripped

from my lips as i answered

 

cause people have not


been kind to me

 

“Milk and honey dripping from the lips” are the embodiment of sustenance and nourishment. They seethe from her human lips but their existence within her is not because of a mutual kindness but due to wickedness brought upon her. The name of this book captures much of what to expect from the rest of the book.

Milk and Honey is divided into four sections – the Hurting, the Loving, the Breaking and the Healing, that focuses on love, loss, violence, abuse, and femininity.  Rupi Kaur’s poetry is simple yet vibrant with truth. Because the poetry itself is raw and emotional, readers can easily associate their experiences with what she writes. Her powerful depiction of the women of color’s strength and resilience delivers a positive message in an unapologetic and empowering manner.

Most of her poems are about a woman struggling with her history of abuse and manage to come out of it stronger and more in-tune with herself. Her main highlight is that women can be vulnerable, self-conscious and empowered at the same time. This self-consciousness is not about the physical appearance but more about the inner self. Rupi thinks women should be free being whoever they choose to be inside and outside, having no need to follow any rules that the society have created for them.

Through this poem, a powerful message is sent to all women that we should be proud to be called brave or smart rather than just pretty. Being pretty is physical and it’s something that you’re born with. But a pretty face without a pretty soul will result to nothing… right?

She encourages women out there to care more on how they prettify their souls and brains with experiences and knowledge rather than focusing solely on their faces. She believes prettifying the face alone means women agree to be objectified by the patriarchy and we are definitely more than that.