Milk & Honey: The Poetry Collection You Need On Your Bookshelf

you’ve touched me
without even
touching me
-Chapter 2: The Loving, page 64

This is how poet Rupi Kaur opened her book signing and poetry reading as she was welcomed back to Brampton by her dedicated readers. They filled in the seats quickly, including the aisles, excited for Rupi to begin the reading of her first completion of poetry, Milk & Honey.

Rupi may have been worried about how many people were going to come, but Brampton never disappoints!

A gentle voice with such stage presence filled the bookstore that evening. The riveted audience hearing the passion in her stories as she took her readers to a whole new world.

Rupi teaches workshops and speaks globally on topics like trauma and healing — all through her poetry. Rupi shares her writing as a way of healing, moving forward and helping others to do so too.

Readers got to hear Rupi’s words come to life by none other than the source of inspiration herself. She takes you into her world as she breathes, and soulfully weaves her words, thoughts, and experiences into a story that touches your heart and connects you to her, wanting to hear more as her voice resonates throughout the room.

A sneak peek of one of her works (Chapter 4. The Healing, page 177) that she left untitled, but said, “I wrote it in early 2014. I didn’t title it, but decided when I perform it I’ll call it Shoutout to Instagram.”

apparently it is ungraceful of me to
mention my period in public
cause the actual biology
of my body is too real
it is okay to sell what’s
between a woman’s legs
more than it is okay to
mention its inner workings
the recreational use of
this body is seen as
beautiful while
its nature is
seen as ugly

Rupi made headlines for a photo posted on Instagram challenging the dialogue around women and their menstrual cycles.

There wasn’t a single person she didn’t greet and thank with a heartwarming smile that just made people melt, shake with joy, and even tear up because of her inspiring words.

If you went to the reading, you got the sneak peek of which poems are in the newest edition of Milk & Honey, and even heard works that aren’t published yet! How lucky are we Bramptonians?

Rupi is a woman who shares experiences that many people can relate and connect to. Her book is more than a book; it’s a diary of her thoughts, some of which we understand but never speak ourselves.

Milk & Honey will make you think

of course i want to be successful
but i don’t crave success for me
i need to be successful to gain
enough milk and honey
to help those around
me succeed

It will make you feel hopeful

of course i want to be successful
but i don’t crave success for me
i need to be successful to gain
enough milk and honey
to help those around
me succeed

It will make you feel empowered

i want to apologize to all the women
i have called pretty
before i’ve called them intelligent or brave
i am sorry i made it sound as though
something as simple as what you’re born with
is the most you have to be proud of when yourspirit has crushed mountains
from now on i will say things like
you are resilient or you are extraordinary
not because i don’t think you’re pretty
but because you are so much more than that