Rupi Kaur's milk and honey stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly four years--no mean feat for a poetry collection, especially one that was originally self-published. Ten years and three more books later, her trademark themes of facing childhood trauma, breaking free from toxic relationships, becoming confident in one's sexual identity, and building resilience through sisterhood and creativity feel as relevant as ever.
This 10th anniversary collector's edition contains two additional chapters--new and unpublished poems and illustrations; and a look back at the book's publication history--as well as handwritten commentary in red (by the author) and blue (by six guest annotators). The four sections of the original release chart a journey through suffering toward emotional freedom: "the hurting," "the loving," "the breaking," and "the healing."
Kaur's style is casual and accessible throughout. The free verse bears minimal punctuation and no capitalization. Many of the pieces are no more than three or four lines. Against a white backdrop, the short phrases appear unassuming. They communicate pared-down, often aphoristic thoughts. The title phrase "milk and honey" appears several times; milk and honey are traditional medical ingredients in Punjabi culture, Kaur explains in an introductory note. Like these poems, they are balm to be shared with others.
Black-and-white sketches, roughly one every other page, illustrate an aspect of the poems with which they share space. Sometimes the art depicts human figures; other times it gives literal form to the metaphors.
New chapter "the remembering" adds poems that are stylistically and topically of a piece with the rest. Kaur reiterates core messages about self-love, choosing joy, and finding supportive community. She encourages readers to own their story: they will one day be able to look back and see beauty in who they are and what they have lived through. The final piece, "a love letter from me to you," expresses authorial gratitude, placing "my heart in your hands."
The final section, "the journey," tracks her development as an artist and author, and recaps the events of the intervening decade. This new edition is at once a treasure trove for fans of Kaur's forthright confessional verse and a perfect introduction for those experiencing her work for the first time. --Rebecca Foster