Sun and Her Flowers is another book by Rupi Kaur that follows a similar format of her last book. Discussing variety of topics: feminism, immigration, sex, mother-daughter relationships, and self care.
Unlike Kaur's last book, she expresses some political views. In her new book is talks about her Indian heritage, that her parents aren't from the United States. She voices strong opinions about immigration issues in America. "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." The way so conveys her political views taught me that my voice can have an impact on my readers.
Kaur's title is a giant metaphor throughout her book. Each chapter explaining the title within her life. The first chapter--wilting describes her mental health and love wilting away from her mind. "I reached for the last bouquet of flowers // you gave me // now wilting in their vase // one // by // one // I popped their heads off // and ate them." The next chapter--falling is the falling of her sanity and confidence. "yesterday // when I woke up // the sun fell to the ground and rolled away // flowers beheaded themselves // all that's left alive here is me // and i barely feel like living." Chapter Three: Rooting is her mother and family history. "I want to go back in time and sit beside her. Document her in a home movie so my eyes can spend the rest of their lives witnessing a miracle. The one whose life I never think of before mine. I want to know what she laughed about with friends. In the village within houses of mud and brick. Surrounded by acres of mustard plant and sugarcane. I want to sit with the teenage version of my mother. Ask about her dreams. Become her pleated braid. The black kohl caressing her eyelids. The flour neatly packed into her fingertips. A page in her schoolbooks. Even to be a single thread of her cotton dress would be the greatest gift." Chapter Four: Rising represents Kaur finding love in others. "What is it with you and sunflowers he asks // I point to the field of yellows outside // Sunflowers worship the sun i tell him // Only when it arrives do they rise ?? when the sun leaves // they bow their heads in mourning // that is what the sun does to those flowers // it's what you do to me." Chapter Five: Blooming represents the 'blooming' of her confidence. "it is a blessing // to be the color of earth // do you know how often // the flowers confuse me for home." Unlike Heppermann's book, this metaphor is much more direct and represents the writer. This taught me that a metaphor can show feeling and emotion stronger than without one.
Lastly, I learned from Kaur's new book is that poetry can start as an essay. In some on the excerpts I provided of her book above, you can see how it almost connects like sentences in an essay. She divided the sentences into lines of a poem, her technique is to highlight each of her points in the sentence.
Unlike Kaur's last book, she expresses some political views. In her new book is talks about her Indian heritage, that her parents aren't from the United States. She voices strong opinions about immigration issues in America. "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." The way so conveys her political views taught me that my voice can have an impact on my readers.
Kaur's title is a giant metaphor throughout her book. Each chapter explaining the title within her life. The first chapter--wilting describes her mental health and love wilting away from her mind. "I reached for the last bouquet of flowers // you gave me // now wilting in their vase // one // by // one // I popped their heads off // and ate them."
The next chapter--falling is the falling of her sanity and confidence. "yesterday // when I woke up // the sun fell to the ground and rolled away // flowers beheaded themselves // all that's left alive here is me // and i barely feel like living."
Chapter Three: Rooting is her mother and family history. "I want to go back in time and sit beside her. Document her in a home movie so my eyes can spend the rest of their lives witnessing a miracle. The one whose life I never think of before mine. I want to know what she laughed about with friends. In the village within houses of mud and brick. Surrounded by acres of mustard plant and sugarcane. I want to sit with the teenage version of my mother. Ask about her dreams. Become her pleated braid. The black kohl caressing her eyelids. The flour neatly packed into her fingertips. A page in her schoolbooks. Even to be a single thread of her cotton dress would be the greatest gift."
Chapter Four: Rising represents Kaur finding love in others. "What is it with you and sunflowers he asks // I point to the field of yellows outside // Sunflowers worship the sun i tell him // Only when it arrives do they rise ?? when the sun leaves // they bow their heads in mourning // that is what the sun does to those flowers // it's what you do to me."
Chapter Five: Blooming represents the 'blooming' of her confidence. "it is a blessing // to be the color of earth // do you know how often // the flowers confuse me for home."
Unlike Heppermann's book, this metaphor is much more direct and represents the writer. This taught me that a metaphor can show feeling and emotion stronger than without one.
Lastly, I learned from Kaur's new book is that poetry can start as an essay. In some on the excerpts I provided of her book above, you can see how it almost connects like sentences in an essay. She divided the sentences into lines of a poem, her technique is to highlight each of her points in the sentence.