FIRST BOOK OF 2021

I had started this book last week but saved it to be the first book of 2021 I read.

Rupi Kaur has become the favorite poet of many young women, worldwide.

This is a book I have copied many poems into my Quote Notebook from, even making a poorly-executed copy of her illustrations:

Not only is Kaur a spokeswomen for young women everywhere, she is old beyond her years in advice and thought. I first heard of her in a review from Hooked on Books’ Jee Wan, who was very impressed by this poet. Jee is an excellent poet herself, so I ordered a copy to form my own opinion. Impressed is a mild word to describe my reaction to Kaur’s poems–they are spot-on, often dealing with darker things women might not want to reflect on. But there is hope as well, always hope, offered in this slender volume.

Two more poems from this collection that “spoke” to me are here:

‘you might have done

the external work

but your mind is starving

for internal attention

listen”

and…

“not everything you do has to be self-improving

you are not a machine

you are a person

without rest

your work can never be full

without play your mind can never be nourished

balance”

In an effort to read more poetry, I plan to start January with a book of poems and continue to read at least one collection each month. As slow as I read poetry ( because I tend to slow down to digest it), it will take me all month to read each collection.

Join me in this celebration of poetry and what it can do for us in 2021 if you wish.

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