B9. MILK AND HONEY

Milk and Honey is a collection of poetry and prose written by Rupi Kaur. The book is divided into four parts titled: the hurting, the loving, the breaking, and lastly the hearing. Each section is comprised of fitting poems and writings that take the reader through each experience and allow the reader to reflect and make sense of Kaur's words in their own away. Abuse, neglect, rape, feminism, sexuality, love, loss, enlightenment- these are just some of the few themes Kaur's treads the waters of. Here are a few of my favourites:

when my mother was pregnant 

with her second child when I was four

i pointed at her swollen belly confused at how

my mother had gotten so big in such little time

my father scooped me in his tree trunk arms and

said the closest thing to god on this earth

is a woman's body it's where life comes from

and to have a grown man tell me something 

so powerful at a young age

changed me to see the entire universe

rested at my mother's feet

This is my first time owning and reading an entire book of poetry. I love the minimalism in both her writing and the illustrations. I love being able to reread the poem in different ways to try and decipher the message or tone she is trying to convey. I love the fact that this can be reread again and again and again and again, no matter what point in life you are at. I love that she takes very difficult and draining issues in very real and direct ways, yet condenses such powerful words into a few lines. I know I stretched the time out to read this collection but it is because I wanted to savour every poem. This book will be one I will keep returning to on my shelf.