The Sun + Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
upon my birth
my mother said
there is god in you
can you feel her dancing
(ode to matisse's dance)
however I feel about my mother these days
I know she feels that way about me.
and that makes me feel really good. + I'm very glad someone wrote it down.
This post features selected poetry from rupi kaur // the sun and her flowers, and one small piece from milk and honey
On Wednesday last week I went to watch Rupi Kaur at the Orpheum with 2 of my best friends.
They were excellent candidates to watch with,
They have both experienced hard break ups. One hails from another country. One is about to be a mother.
I have never really had a bad breakup. Only once has my heart felt like it was knifed out of my chest by a lover + I caught a glimpse of what so many people talk about. But I know hurt. And in her poem, -the underrated heartache - Rupi Kaur tells me why I know what that pain is, even though I have not been in that specific hurt that the poems + songs are always about-
it all ends the same
a friend or a lover
a loss is a loss is a loss.
I know when you Google "Rupi Kaur" some problematic things pop up.
I know when I say have you heard of her? some say "oh that overrated poet?"
But I also know that some say she is the voice of our generation.
I also know that the day I was sobbing in bed over a friendship slight, that a poem she wrote (for Milk and Honey) popped up on my Instagram discover and it said
when i am sad
i don't cry i pour
And I also know that same poem said
when i am happy
i don't smile i glow
she says
i don’t know what living a balanced life feels like
I also don't usually know what living a balanced life feels like, although I try. And I fail. And I love. And I hate. And I pour. And I glow.
And I know that someone else feels all these things too.
When I bought tickets to see her perform I just sort of felt I wanted to. I haven't read all of her work. I didn't understand what her show would be.
It was just her standing there, in a half circle of rose petals, telling stories about writing, reading her poems in a flagged book, and sometimes reading the poetry to a recorded piece of instrumentals.
The evening flew by
And it filled my heart + made me laugh + made me cry. And I'd happily go see her again.
I didn't expect that.
despite knowing
they won't be here for long
they choose to live
their brightest lives
-sunflowers
I recommend purchasing this book from Pulp Fiction (don't be put off by their website, it's legit) They're a local Vancouver shop + I purchased 99% of my books from them. They sell new + used books and the new books they sell at a discount
I special order books in on the regs + they come in super fast.
But if you're out of town:
the sun and her flowers
milk and honey
Two wonderful and inspiring women have passed away this year. They reminded me of the importance of love.