The Inspiring Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur is a 25 year old Indian Canadian poet, writer, illustrator, and performer. She has written two books consisting of collections of her poetry and featuring her own illustrations. Throughout her young life Rupi Kaur has written countless poems that have been an inspiration to millions of women all over the world. She writes of love, culture, womanhood, and so much more. Here are a few of her thought provoking works…

"Of course I want to be successful

But I don't crave success for me

I need to be successful to gain

Enough milk and honey

To help those around

Me succeed"

"Like the rainbow

After the rain

Joy will reveal itself

After sorrow"

"Take the compliment

Do not shy away from

Another thing that belongs to you"

"You have so much

But are always hungry for more

Stop looking up at everything you don't have

And look around at everything you do"

"I want to apologize to all the women

I have called pretty

Before I've called them intelligent or brave.

I am sorry I made it sound as though

Something as simple as what you were born with

Is the most you have to be proud of

When your spirit has crushed mountains

From now on I will say things like, you are resilient

or, you are extraordinary.

Not because I don't think you're pretty.

But because you are so much more than that"

"We all move forward when

we recognize how resilient

And striking the women around us are"

"What's the greatest lesson a woman should learn?

That since day one she's already had everything

She needs within herself. It's the world that

Convinced her she did not"

"If you are broken

And they have left you

Do not question

Whether you were enough

The problem was

You were so enough

They were not able to carry it"

"What is stronger

Than the human heart

Which shatters over and over

And still lives"

"Apparently it is ungraceful of me

To mention my period in public

Cause the actual biology of my body is too real

Is it okay to sell what's

Between a woman's legs

More than it is okay to

Mention its inner workings

The recreational use of

This body is seen as

Beautiful while

Its nature is

Seen as ugly"

"Your art

Is not about how many people

Like your work

Your art

Is about

If your heart likes your work

If your soul likes your work

It's about how honest

you are with yourself

And you

Must never

Trade honesty

For relatability"

"When the world comes crashing at your feet

It's okay to let others

Help pick up the pieces

If we're present to take part in your happiness

When your circumstances are great

We are more than capable

Of sharing your pain"

"I can't wrap my head around the fact

That I have to convince half the world's population

My body is not their bed

I am busy learning the consequences

Of womanhood when I should be learning

Science and math instead

I like cartwheels and gymnastics so I can't imagine

Walking around with my thighs pressed together

Like they're hiding a secret

As if the acceptance of my own body parts

Will invite thoughts of lust in their heads"

"Now

Is not the time

To be quiet

Or make room for you

When we have had no room at all

Now

Is our time

To be mouthy

Get as loud as we need

To be heard"

"Representation

Is vital

Otherwise the butterfly

Surrounded by a group of moths

Unable to see itself

Will keep trying to become the moth"

"Look down at your body

Whisper

There is no home like you"