Milk and Honey is Simple, and That's Okay | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Milk and Honey is Simple, and That's Okay

No rhyme scheme, no punctuation, no capitalization = no problems. Or perhaps not?

676
Milk and Honey is Simple, and That's Okay
Naomi Wood/Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur, the best selling author of Milk and Honey, is no stranger to controversy, from her infamous period photo series that was removed (and re-added) on Instagram to her being accused of plagiarism. As of late, much of the noise surrounding Kaur has been that of excitement and praise as she has been teasing pages of her upcoming collection of poems, The Sun and Her Flowers, which is scheduled to be released on October 3rd. But unfortunately for her, things have started turning for the worst again.

On August 4th, Buzzfeed contributor and Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University, Chiara Giovanni published, “The Problem with Rupi Kaur's Poetry,” a short piece questioning the author’s authenticity. Among Giovanni’s many criticisms, was her critique of Kaur’s style of writing, which consists primarily of free verse (poetry with no rhyme scheme or meter) and is minimalistic. She describes it as, “bite - size,” “accessible,” and “sparse.”

This is not the first time the young author’s writing has been described this way, but it certainly has reignited the flame. Without even leaving Buzzfeed, you can find commentators echoing similar sentiments. User Yamini Rameshh mocks Kaur’s noted use of line breaks and lack of punctuation with this comment,

“It is literally
the most pretentious thing in the world
to write an average sentence
on different lines, in lower case
and call it poetry
i will never know how or why
she made it this big.”

This comment has garnered 127 likes.

As Giovanni states in the article, others have gone on to jokingly mimic Kaur’s style on Twitter. A quick search of her name on Twitter will provide you with a slew of users constructing posts such as this one:

It is outlandish to refute statements that Rupi Kaur’s writing is not complex because it is true. There are no perplexing metaphors or rhyme schemes, this is not the work of Edgar Allan Poe’s protégé, and that is okay. What is unacceptable, is the dismissal of her talent and impact merely because — it’s too easy to read. If something does not overwhelm us with language, it must be shallow, right? Wrong. In simple terms, poetry is a form of writing that uses different techniques such as rhythm, symbolism, irony, diction, etc. to tell a story or share feelings. Preference over certain techniques over others should not and cannot be the sole determinate of an author’s value. For some, famed poet E. E. Cummings’ use of broken syntax, creation of compound words, decapitalization (example) of some words, and not all is nonsensical, but to others, it is genius.

Albeit a different avenue, similar controversies can be found in the visual art world. If you compare painters like Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, and Kehinde Wiley you will notice their works differ significantly from one another, but this does not detract from their significance as artists. Wiley, in particular, is most known and praised for his portraits of black people alongside striking backgrounds,

reminiscent of paintings seen in the Early Renaissance. His pieces can easily be seen as mundane, just because of their simplicity, but I dissent. Wiley is painting a group that was and is under represented in media in a style that was once reserved for white elites. One would be hard- pressed to see this kick back of popular culture as vapid. Like Wiley, Rupi Kaur is making literary art for women like her, whose stories are often not told. To censure her because her writing is not "fancy" is to muffle an already small collective of voices telling stories that are changing literature and lives.

Like Milk and Honey themselves, the poems are ordinary but are sweet to taste and can fill a tummy whole.

References:

Chiara Giovanni - "The Problem with Rupi Kaur"

Rob Walker - "The Young ‘Instapoet’ Rupi Kaur: from Social Media Star to Bestselling Writer"

Huma Qureshi - "How do I Love Thee? Let me Instagram"

Fariha Róisín - "The Comfortability with the Internet Drag of Rupi Kaur . . ."

Ian Pimperl - "The Poetic Style of E.E. Cummings"

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

195753
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18174
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460362
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28020
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments