The Sun and Her Flowers

The Sun and Her Flowers is a collection of poetry about grief, self-abandonment, honoring one’s roots, love, and empowering oneself. It is split into five chapters: wilting. falling. rooting. rising. and blooming, and it is such a simple and eloquent read. If you’re someone that wants to get into poetry, starting with Rupi Kaur’s works would be a great start. I really was intrigued with the chapter “Rooting”  dealing mainly with the author's experiences as the daughter of Indian immigrants because my own parents are immigrants themselves, and I can see connections between us. Many of the poems discuss Kaur’s parents' journey to finding and creating a new home as immigrants, and other poems discuss how people are always leaving their homes and how you should always respect where you came from. For example she says,

Perhaps we are all immigrants

Trading one home for another

First we leave the womb for air

Then the suburbs for the filthy city

In search of a better life

Some of us just happen to leave entire countries

In my opinion, this is one of the strongest poems in this section because all humans are in search of the same thing: a home where you can thrive, find love, peace, and safety. Immigration has been a big deal ever since, and I cannot stress enough how much immigration has ruined many families.

My next favorite chapter would be the last one: Blooming. It is about being your whole self and accepting every portion of what makes you, you. This world is constantly trying to make us tear each other down and envy one another, but that is no way to live. Acceptance is key to life as said in one of her poems:

I will no longer compare my path to others

Refuse to do a disservice to my life

Learning to not envy someone else's blessing is what grace looks like

Their concept of beauty is manufactured i am not - 'human.’

This poem stands out to me because of the fact that people are always trying to be the best, thinking that they will gain some superiority over others when they “are the best”. However, that’s not the point of what being yourself is. Being yourself means you aren’t trying to impress anyone and to make them like you. In fact, if they don’t like you for who you are, then so be it. Life is short so don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Commit and take risks!