The second collection of poetry by Rupi Kaur made waves. It was brimming with of every kind of emotion imaginable. Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a vibrant and transcendent journey about growth and healing. Ancestry and honoring one’s roots. Rising up to find a home within yourself.
The poems explore self-love, self-hate, body-image, girls supporting girls, motherly love, feminism, insecurity, sexual assault, and so much more. I read through it quickly.
The author’s smart, poised, and down-to-earth writing oozes inspiration. And I’m happy to share some of my favorite pieces:
pg. 113
and here you are living
despite it all
what is it with you and sunflowers he asks
pg. 173
i point to the field of yellow outside
sunflowers worship the sun i tell him
only when it arrives do they rise
when the sun leaves
they bow their heads in mouring
that is what the sun does to those flowers
it’s what you do to me
– the sun and her flowers
i am of the earth
pg. 206
and to the earth i shall return once more
life and death are old friends
and i am the conversation between them
i am their late-night chatter
their laughter and tears
what is there to be afraid of
if i am the gift they give to each other
this place never belonged to me anyway
i have always been theirs
what is the greatest lesson a woman should learn
pg. 233
that since day one
she’s already had everything she needs within herself
it’s the world that convinced her she did not
