Digesting Milk and Honey: The Bittersweetness of Happiness
By B. JEAN Aug. 16, 2016
“What is stronger than the human heart which shatters over and over again and still lives.”- Rupi Kaur
When reading Milk and Honey, I was a mess. Rupi broke me down, mended my soul, and held me in her bosom to heal from the emotional rollercoaster her poetry evoked in me, and probably all her readers. Hailing from beautiful India but residing in Canada, twenty-four-year-old Rupi Kaur has taken the world by storm. Her poetry book Milk and Honey has been read and seen all over, translated into Spanish, and shared on social media thousands of times. Much of her success is due to her strong social media following and her photo-essay detailing menstruation. Many people were disgusted and taken back by the images, but Kaur stood by what she believed to be “challenging the taboos surrounding menstruation.”
Her poetry is simple, yet so surreal it touches the depths of the soul. Outlining the book in four sections-"The hurting," "The Loving," "The Breaking," and "The Healing"-she takes readers down the path of sexuality, growth, and comfort. I am completely amazed at how she was able to bring to life these vulnerable feelings that resonate with a lot of people. In some of her poetry she talks about her
father and the type of misogynistic relationship she was faced with. Exploring her culture, femininity, and curiosity of the world resulted in Kaur giving birth to this empowering piece of art.
Most of the pieces I really enjoy are the ones in which she speaks directly to the readers. She writes, “your art is not about how many people like your work, your art is about if your heart likes your work. If your soul likes your work it’s about how honest you are with yourself. And you must never trade honesty for relatability.” Those words really have stuck with me. As a writer there were, still are, times when I don't feel good enough. It’s tough growing up in a culture and world where if you don’t get recognition your art does not have value. How many unknown artists have made huge differences with just placing their art out there? Many. But people never hear of them because they didn’t
win an award or are not celebrities.
Your art should be done for you. Always. You yourself are and will always be your greatest critic and fan all in one. Kaur gets that. Her words are always full of adornment and encouragement for aspiring artists. Her beautiful language and eloquent tongue has given the world a masterpiece all in its own right. I absolutely recommend that everyone read this book. The rollercoaster is as fast and slow as you want it to be.
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