Lines by Rupi Kaur That I Constantly Think Of

I bought Rupi Kaur's poetry collection, including Milk and Honey, a year ago. I was overwhelmed by a book that made me confront my mistakes and wrong decisions about love. My friend suggested maybe I should just stop reading that and continue reading Milk and Honey, as it might make me feel better. Long story short, it did not. Milk and Honey, surprisingly, contains the lines and little poems that seem to be excerpted from my life. I'm pretty sure many of you have read or heard of Rupi Kaur and Milk and Honey. Without delving into any discussions about the collection or her, I would like to share the lines that have stayed with me since I finished reading.

our backs

tell stories

no books have

the spine to

carry

Everyone has stories to tell. Some write, some sing, and some just keep them in their minds. As a person who has millions of ideas and stories to tell, sometimes I cannot find the right words. At times, those stories don't feel worthy of being told. Or I may not find the right books to carry them on their spine. Who knows...

she was a rose

in the hands of those

who had no intention

of keeping her

If I had a penny for every time I put my heart out to someone who did not deserve it, I'd be rich. These lines still remind me, how I am wasting my time on people who won't be around next year, or even next month.

i am a museum full of art

but you had your eyes shut

Well...we can't blame anyone for being blind, can we? Maybe we should try being with people whose eyes actually work?

the thing about writing is

I can't tell if it's healing

or destroying me

This. This one is constantly on my mind. I'm pretty sure I'd lose my mind if I didn't write. But I'm also not sure if it's good for me. Seems like I'm hanging in there.

if i knew what

safety looked like

i would have spent

less time falling into

arms that were not

Unfortunately we can't tell if someone is safe or not until we realise they are not.

the idea that we are

so capable of love

but still choose

to be toxic

These lines are what cause me to question our existence. Why is there such a thing as war? Why are some of us capable of love while others are not? Why do we choose hate instead of love? After reading these lines, I once again understood that hate is a choice, and we have our brains to make better choices. So, use your brain.

you pinned my legs to

the ground with your feet

and demanded i stand up

These lines made me think of the times where I was completely hurt and didn't want to get out of bed, yet I still got up every day and went to work. You can't just expect people to function and maintain their usual routines after you break their heart. "Hey, yes, I don't want to be with you anymore but just don't forget to eat, okay?" Thanks, pal, a lot.

trying to convince myself

i am allowed

to take up space

is like writing with

my left hand

when i was born

to use my right

Have you ever thought of yourself as a burden to others? Well, I have. I struggle to think otherwise. My closest friends are always encouraging me to ask for help, but I find it hard. I don't want to face the fact that I am wasting their time with my nonsense. Thank you, Ms. Kaur, for finding the exact words to help me express myself.

perhaps

i don't deserve

nice things

cause I am paying

for sins I don't

remember

I have this intrusive thought that I was a bad person in a previous life. And believe me, I have never thought about reincarnation thoroughly; I don't even know if I believe in it or not. But this thought serves as my excuse for the pain I have to endure in this life, giving me a sense of having an answer. Is it working? Absolutely not.

Lastly, I want to share an excerpt from one of the poems in Milk and Honey that is beautifully translated into Turkish. This is also the poem that reminds me of how worthy I am every day.

kim kandırdı seni

kim inandırdı

başka birinin

seni tam yapacağına

yapıp yapabilecekleri en fazla

tümlecin olabilmekken