Poetry: something that most dread because it's considered "pretentious", and so the people who read and write it must be too. I mean, really, our teachers must have been making up some of that stuff.
It wasn't until recently, during my senior year of high school, that I realized such a stereotype was completely untrue-- and, sadly, it's the reason why most people hate poetry.
I discovered that poets from every walk of life are sharing their innermost personal stories within their poems; here they are, laid out in front of me-- us-- to dissect and discover Truths. And yes, I say Truths with a capital T, because they are so much more than the "truth". They are the Truths that many search their whole lives for-- the bigger picture.
Instagram is filled with poets whose pieces are filled with Truths and, quite honestly, some of them take my breath away. These poets have worked for years to gain status and momentum for themselves and their work, for which they deserve every piece of praise.
1. Rupi Kaur / @rupikaur_
I couldn't start this list without Rupi Kaur. Kaur is best known for her 2015 book, "milk and honey". Within milk and honey, Kaur focuses on four main points: The Hurting, The Loving, The Breaking, and The Healing. She also delves further into topics such as femininity, sexuality, and race. Personally, my favorite of her's is entitled Balance, and it deals with life. Another favorite of mine would have to be a piece that discusses being oneself in relationships. Kaur is set to release her newest collection of poetry, entitled The Sun and Her Flowers, on October 3, 2017.
2. Atticus / @atticuspoetry
The appeal behind Atticus is that his identity is still a mystery. He did any interview with Teen Vogue in March of this year, but other than that, his social presence has been one filled with anonymity. Other than his gender, nothing else is widely known about Atticus.
Most of his poetry focuses on an unnamed female-- whom he refers to using She/Her pronouns-- and who he is presumably in love with. His poems emphasize female beauty, spirit, and strength, but the odd one out will focus on general love and life. His most famous poem, "Love her, but leave her wild," has even been tattooed on multiple fans.
3. Nikita Gill / @nikita_gill
I first stumbled upon Nikita Gill on Pinterest whilst browsing through the poetry tag. Her poetry were pieces that often left me speechless for a few minutes while my brain analyzed everything I had just read. Her use of metaphors and her understanding of the human experience are so powerful that I literally had to stop and just think for a couple of minutes. Now, imagine encountering this one after another, as I did when I unknowingly stumbled across multiple pieces of her's on Pinterest.
Her poems often focus on love and femininity, as well as becoming and raising strong women. Her newest collection of poetry, Wild Embers, is being released on November 16, 2017.
4. RM Drake / @rmdrk
If we're going to be completely honest, I could not tell you how I found RM Drake and his poetry. But I will tell you that whenever I stumbled across a piece of his, I immediately stopped and devoted myself to it.
His staple, type-writer font, is one discernible feature of his work, as is his concentration on losing and discovering oneself. Like Atticus, he also seems to focus on a mysterious female subject-- She/Her.
5. r.H. Sin / @r.h.sin
Reuben Holmes, who was born in New Jersey, is an Instagram poet like no other. He made his following on Instagram with his seemingly feminist poetry all about love and relationships.
He has spent the last few years becoming a prolific author with two works already released this year and another due next year. In 2017, he published whiskey words & a shovel III in April and A Beautiful Composition of Broken in July. He plans to release his newest work Planting Gardens in Graves on February 6, 2018.
The poets above all have their own styles and focuses, but I think a few common things have given all of them the support that they have gathered the past few years. As poetry grows more and more popular within the younger generations, people-- mainly young females-- are looking for guidance and support. These poets provide that. They are opening our eyes to the Truths that they've already discovered within their lives, and we are as accepting of these Truths now more than ever.
