Book twelve of my 2019 Reading Challenge.

Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers

I read Rupi Kaur‘s first poetry collection Milk and Honey several weeks ago and I fell in love with her writing. In my review I gave you a simple task, to read the book. The same will be strongly suggested for her second book, The Sun and Her Flowers.

I was deeply moved by her words in so many ways and the majority of the time it’s only a handful of syllables thrown together in a manner that just speaks to the reader.

I’ve always been fascinated with poetry and how it can pack so much meaning in a few short stanzas. Kaur does this so perfectly it’s hard to believe there are two full books of them. Each poem carefully thought out and comprised together to set a mood.

Just 15 words put together to make a statement that every individual feels at least once in their lifetime. This section of the book talked a lot about loss and how the heart fonds over connections and the love of another being. I think of this poem not as a note about the lover that’s been heartbroken but as the person that experiences the constant pain of simply being a human. Of giving and not getting. Of loving and not being loved. Of smiling through the pain and saying you’re okay. It’s something that we all have experienced but I personally never had the right words to say that even though it hurts now, it’s not the end. I will go on. This poem gave me the words.

All the poems obviously spoke to me quite a bit and I really couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to soak in all the words all at once. I’m sure other people feel the same way but I know it feels better reading pieces of art that express exactly how you feel or how you felt once. There’s comfort in knowing that other people are in the same boat as you and that you aren’t alone. The collection of poems does just that in several different ways.

One difference between Milk and Honey and The Sun and Her Flowers that I liked was that in her second book Kaur included a few longer poems that dove even deeper into meaning. I enjoyed reading these pieces in particular because there was so much more to absorb and so much more to understand. Reading them more than once just intensified the meaning and revealed more and more about the feelings behind the words.

I highly highly highly recommend reading both of Kaur’s books. They are moving and so perfect. I know I’ll be saving them a spot on my shelf for years to come.