Recently Read: milk and honey

Author: Rupi Kaur
Genre: Poetry collection- modern
Publication Date: 2015
Page Count: 204
Rating: 3.5/5

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If you spend any time on the internet, I am sure you have seen this poetry collection or a poem from it floating around. Rupi Kaur's poetry and illustrations are floating around tumblr and the blogging community. I had seen a few of her poems ages ago and have been wanting to pick this up ever since. I finally got around to buying it and read it in an evening when I was feeling a little off and needed something to pick-me-up. I would not say that this is a happy collection or a feel-good collection, but after reading the words of another human and connection to them, I felt better.

This book has gotten a lot of hype, but it also seems to be polarizing; some people love it and others are not impressed. I am sitting in the middle. I really like the idea of this collection. It is very modern and Kaur has her own unique and mastered style. The poems deal with a variety of topics, each one as important as the last, and the illustrations are a really great addition to the collection. The poems are very short and in prose form which I know some people are not a fan of, but I thought it worked in this case. One of the things I love about poetry is how it cannot be defined. I have read and loved some very, very complex poetry as well as some very short and simple prose poetry.

This collection did have an over-all feminist message which I loved. This collection is very intimate and personal and I always respect a poet who writes such intimate things so publicly. One of my favorite poems and illustrations is a commentary on female body hair, another is on respecting other women's choices about their own bodies. I don't think this collection is mind-blowing, but I did connect to a lot of the ideas and expressions in this collection and I enjoyed reading it. This is a collection I can see myself rereading from time to time because it was quick and enjoyable. It has also made me itch to pick up some more modern poetry. I have been wanting to get into the genre for quite a while but never knew where to start. I have discovered a few collections I really want to start with, so I am thinking about making a modern poetry TBR post in the near future.
Let me know if you have any poetry recommendations! What did you think about this collection?