As stated by American poet and essayist Rita Dove, “Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful.” When reading Rupi Kaur’s poetry book, Milk and Honey, distilled and powerful can easily be associated with the beautiful, impactful messages intertwined within the breathtakingly dense lines Kaur writes.

Milk and Honey is divided into four chapters, all of which describe the evolution of a relationship, and the plethora of emotions that come along with becoming of age. Although this book is specifically based off of Kaur’s personal experiences regarding sexual abuse, a lacking father figure, self-love, and heartbreak, at least one of the dense topics can be related to merely anyone’s life. The provoking pieces are paired with simple sketches, adding a visual element that inspires further comprehension of the gripping material that draws a connection to modern issues.

Feminism has been a major societal topic lately, with the Women’s March on January 21st that was originally set to take place at Washington D.C., the US capital, but erupted across the country and the world. Milk and Honey ties right into the beliefs of those protesting for gender equality, with emphasis on empowering women to be independent, and not allowing outside sources to determine with their decisions, actions, or value. Clearly, Kaur managed to sculpt a stimulating piece of work that simultaneously questions the state of today’s society while encouraging young women to stay true to themselves as they bloom into adulthood.