Weekend Writing: Reviewing Rupi Kaur's "home body"

"our wounds are the reason

i started writing poetry

every word

i've ever written was to 

lead us back into our arms" - Rupi Kaur, "home body"

---

Rupi Kaur described her latest poetry collection, home body, as a "love letter" to the self. She wrote, "I began writing this book at a time I felt completely lost in both my inner and outer world. home body is about what broke my heart. And what put it back together." 

Kaur's feelings are evident in her collection. She reflected on her personal feelings of depression, romance, loneliness, self-doubt, and community. Her words are relatable and, well, poetic. 

Rupi Kaur's home body. 

Kaur has received a lot of criticism over the years for not writing "real poetry." After the publication of her first poetry collection, milk and honey, the poet has been criticized for changing the way poetry is perceived. Here's the thing: poetry has changed a lot, even in the past five years. Modern and contemporary poetry is vastly different than the poems written by John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, and more. 

By its definition, poetry is a literary work written to express feelings, emotions, or ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm. In my opinion (and this is strictly my opinion), Kaur accomplishes that--by expressing her emotions in short, raw poems. 

home body is divided into four sections relating to the human body: "mind," "heart," "rest," and "awake." Each section portrays poems with illustrations drawn by Kaur, which are relevant to the pieces. I love how the poems connect to each section's theme--relating the ideas to how, as humans, we fall away from our true selves in our resting periods, lose our heart--maybe even lose our minds--but slowly awaken to a brighter future ahead of us. 

"mind"

The first section of the book focuses on depression and mental health. To Kaur, depression is silent. You never know it's coming until it controls your body. Those who suffer from depression are lonely, even if they're not truly alone. They want to live, but they don't know how to be free of the depression and anxiety. Kaur walks readers through her personal experiences with depression. Those who have also struggled with depression will relate to her words. 

"heart" 

The second section of the collection focuses on love and relationships. Kaur has previously experienced abusive relationships, and these past loves affect her current love. She's afraid to open herself up to someone because of how men have made her feel in the past. Many people can relate to this emotional trauma. 

Kaur also reflects on the love you receive from someone who isn't a romantic partner, whether it's from family, friends, and a community (especially women) who are always there for you. To Kaur, the most powerful form of love she has ever felt has been from friends--far more superior than a romantic love. She can live without romantic love, but she can't survive without the love she receives from friends. They know exactly what she needs. 

"rest" 

The third section discusses Kaur's insecurities with her career. After writing two successful poetry collections, she feels an immense pressure to write poems that are even better than the ones that made her famous. She fears that the best years of her life are already behind her and nothing she does in the future will measure up. She suffers from productivity anxiety. Essentially, she's lost. Kaur reflects on productivity and success. Who determines success, in the first place? 

"awake" 

The final section of the book is an awakening. Kaur realizes that she isn't the only person who has ever felt insecure, lost, and depressed. Her pains are felt by others. She has learned so much about her life, her voice, and her dreams. Finally, she accepts herself and understands her beauty. She feels free. It took her a long time to reach this point in her life, but she's finally here. She's proud, and she's equally proud of everyone who also feels the same way. 

In a way, home body is a self-help book for those who feel lost and insecure. Kaur is offering poems to help heal the mind and heart. After experiencing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, her poems are especially important to read. Everyone has felt lost and lonely at one point during the pandemic. Kaur's poetry collection reminds us that we're not alone. Other people know exactly how we feel. We have a community behind us, even if we don't always recognize it. 

Overall, home body is perhaps Kaur's most vulnerable and raw poetry collection to this day. Her distinctive emphasis on the self grounds her poems. She fully knows her mind, body, and identity. She's more aware of this than when she became a social media poetry sensation in 2014. Her poetry is relatable that enlightens readers. She holds space for vast emotions and allows readers to enter portals of self-love, community, and change. 

Rupi Kaur (photo/Coup De Main Magazine)

With poetry, we're meant to feel moved and be reminded of our own lives. While Kaur doesn't write the same poetry that John Keats did in the 19th century, she still accomplishes the basic principles of poetry. She breaks through the personal pain and loss. She reflects on subjects that would otherwise be left ignored. She writes about her wounds--all in hopes to learn and grow. 

With her poetry, we learn and recognize that Kaur isn't just writing about herself. She's writing about all of us, and that's a rare trait to have as a poet. I look forward to reading more of her poetry in the future! 

Read on. 

-KJL-