falllover12's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
3.5
malima's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Before picking up this book, I didn't know that Rupi Kaur wrote actual poetry.
I had seen the little three line things of hers that have been both revered and taken apart all over the internet, of course, but I had been very much on the side of the critics for those, never understanding its appeal and while artistic in the play of sketch and written words together, not being a type of art I could connect with. While still containing these smaller poems and lines I felt little to no connection to, "Home Body" also contains slightly longer poems that had flows and messages that I liked, enjoyed, or even found good. There are two poems I was especially partial to.
Nevertheless, some of these poems reminded me starkly that modern poetry, just like modern art, asks the question "What is art/poetry?" or "Is <i>this</i> art/poetry?" and for the one-liners, I generally found myself answering this with a clear "no" for myself. One of them read something like "I don't want a feminism that doesn't include trans women", except cut to be spread on two lines, which I understand, support and find important, but was very confused in what way this was supposed to constitute a poem. It's just a statement.
I don't want to deny these one-liners and one-sentence-poems all of their merit, though, since in the first part these one-liners did read as nice connections between the poems and weaved the poems into a narrative. I certainly enjoyed this dimension to them. As poems in their own right, I still remained no fan.
I had seen the little three line things of hers that have been both revered and taken apart all over the internet, of course, but I had been very much on the side of the critics for those, never understanding its appeal and while artistic in the play of sketch and written words together, not being a type of art I could connect with. While still containing these smaller poems and lines I felt little to no connection to, "Home Body" also contains slightly longer poems that had flows and messages that I liked, enjoyed, or even found good. There are two poems I was especially partial to.
Nevertheless, some of these poems reminded me starkly that modern poetry, just like modern art, asks the question "What is art/poetry?" or "Is <i>this</i> art/poetry?" and for the one-liners, I generally found myself answering this with a clear "no" for myself. One of them read something like "I don't want a feminism that doesn't include trans women", except cut to be spread on two lines, which I understand, support and find important, but was very confused in what way this was supposed to constitute a poem. It's just a statement.
I don't want to deny these one-liners and one-sentence-poems all of their merit, though, since in the first part these one-liners did read as nice connections between the poems and weaved the poems into a narrative. I certainly enjoyed this dimension to them. As poems in their own right, I still remained no fan.
holdvic's review against another edition
3.0
"you didn't lose it
happiness has always been here
- you just lost perspective."
happiness has always been here
- you just lost perspective."
zuko_adams's review against another edition
3.0
The poems in this book were powerful and at times hard to read because of the heaviness of the situations. But if it was uncomfortable for me to read I can’t imagine what living through it would be like. This isn’t related to this book but I wish there were more poems about being gay and trans. I guess just more poetry I related to that wasn’t about love but more about problems I face. Seems like most poetry books i see they involve the pronouns “she” or “her” I just don’t relate to those. I want something I can relate to.
yeriwithaj_'s review against another edition
5.0
if you are waiting for them
to make you feel like enough
you’ll be waiting a long time
This one has helped put words to feelings I haven’t been able to properly voice.
today i saw myself for the first time
when i dusted off
the mirror of my mind
and the woman looking back
took my breath away
who was this beautiful beastling
this extra-celestial earthling
i touched my face and my reflection
touched the woman of my dreams
all her gorgeous smirking back at me
my knees surrendered to the earth
as i wept and sighed at how
i’d gone my whole life
being myself
but not seeing myself
spent decades living inside my body
never left it once
yet managed to miss all its miracles
isn’t it funny how you can
occupy a space without
being in touch with it
how it took so long for me
to open the eyes of my eyes
embrace the heart of my heart
kiss the soles of my swollen feet
and hear the whisper
thank you
thank you
thank you
for noticing
to make you feel like enough
you’ll be waiting a long time
This one has helped put words to feelings I haven’t been able to properly voice.
today i saw myself for the first time
when i dusted off
the mirror of my mind
and the woman looking back
took my breath away
who was this beautiful beastling
this extra-celestial earthling
i touched my face and my reflection
touched the woman of my dreams
all her gorgeous smirking back at me
my knees surrendered to the earth
as i wept and sighed at how
i’d gone my whole life
being myself
but not seeing myself
spent decades living inside my body
never left it once
yet managed to miss all its miracles
isn’t it funny how you can
occupy a space without
being in touch with it
how it took so long for me
to open the eyes of my eyes
embrace the heart of my heart
kiss the soles of my swollen feet
and hear the whisper
thank you
thank you
thank you
for noticing
logancoxx's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/4
Just finished and I need to read this all over again. Tab mark the ones that moved me. Underline the poems that strike me. Highlight the ones I need to read again and again and again.
I loved certain poems throughout all four of the sections (mind, heart, rest, awake).
If I was rating her three collections:
1. The Sun and Her Flowers
2. home body
3. Milk and Honey
Just finished and I need to read this all over again. Tab mark the ones that moved me. Underline the poems that strike me. Highlight the ones I need to read again and again and again.
I loved certain poems throughout all four of the sections (mind, heart, rest, awake).
If I was rating her three collections:
1. The Sun and Her Flowers
2. home body
3. Milk and Honey
brebooks_'s review against another edition
4.0
Finally done! There were so many moments in these poems that filled me with wonder. There were also moments of sadness, understanding, passion, and activism. I enjoyed this and I would read it again.