‘Revival of Antiquity’ Rupi Kaur

Born in Punjab, Rupi Kaur immigrated to Canada with her mom at the age of 3. Growing up, Rupi would write poems for friends for their birthdays or as messages to her middle school crushes. It wasn’t until November of 2013 did Rupi take writing poetry seriously. That is when she started reading writers like Anais Nin, Virginia Woolf, and Warsaw Shire. “Everything changed,” Rupi said. These poets gave her indescribable feelings, words. “I was astounded by the way they were able to put all my intricate feelings into simple words. I was completely transfixed about how heavily their poetry moved me. That form of expression, the ability to knock the breath out of someone’s stomach with a sentence, to me that was power.” Before this point, Rupi said that her body and heart “…was heavy with thoughts and emotions,” and she had not yet found a way to express herself. Warsan Shire and Nayyirah Waheed are the two of her favorite writers who injected a surge of inspiration in her.

Rupi Kaur turns her personal suffering and survival into sweet, sweet honey for the rest of us in her debut work. The book, which is titled “milk and honey,” is an artfully powerful collection of poetry, prose, and design written to heal the heartaches inherent in the modern woman’s life.

Kaur describes her work:

“It is about the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity….. ‘milk and honey’ takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.”

Dealing with a breakup? Here’s what she has to say. ‘It will feel like you will never get through it but look, you are getting through it. Even if it doesn’t feel like it. You’re breathing. Living. The pain is unendurable but you are enduring it. That’s the beauty of life . . . let yourself move forward. Let go . . . you hold all the power so embrace the idea that if this didn’t work you are deserving of something more fitting. All you can do is heal yourself . . . let go of all the negativity. Remove it from your life. Get busy with life. Begin taking care of yourself, start a project, fill your life with love. And over time, everything will heal.’

Rupi Kaur is an inspiration to many, especially young Sikh girls. She’s brought Sikh art, vulnerability, and beauty to the mainstream in a contemporary fashion. In a way, she has helped make authenticity “en vogue.’’ Her poem on BODY HAIR, is a classic example of a male chauvinist society.

Rupi devours words, art, metaphors, bodies of water, and storytelling. She shares her writing with the world as a means to create a safe space for progressive healing and forward movement.