Skip to main content

Poetry Saved My Life - Part I

 


Photo by annie pm on Unsplash



As we celebrate National Poetry Month, I figured it is fitting to share my favorite poetry collections with you. 


Poetry can be such a joy. I know many detest the art form as it tends to be intimidating but for some of us poetry is a balm. 


I have always loved books but some modern poetry collections resonated differently. They've helped me step out of the shadows and into my voice. 


I believe that good poetry is like medicine. When I am spiraling or need a pep talk I just grab one of the poetry books from the bookshelf, run myself a bath and let the words work their magic. If I had not found poetry when I did Lord knows where I would be. 


This is why I have chosen Rupi Kaur's The Sun and Her Flowers as my first pick to share with you. 




Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash


Lessons from The Sun and Her Flowers


  1. Flowers and plants can teach us a lot about ourselves. We go through stages too. We wilt, we root, we will fall but we can rise and bloom. 
  2. Our experiences affect us whether we believe it or not. We walk around with trauma, which in turn affects the way we love and live. Unless we do something about it. 
  3. The "Mother Wound" runs deep. Sometimes, the things which hurt our mothers are passed down to us. We share their deep-seated pain but healing is possible. 
  4. Though your voice may shake, sharing your story can bring healing. Collective healing is very much a thing and we are stronger together. Healed women heal women is a mantra I live by and has been deepened by The Sun and Her Flowers. Telling our stories can be so powerful.
  5. We ought to love our bodies. Coming home to yourself is coming to the realization that your body is a temple and home. Your body is sacred and beautiful irrespective of the scars and stretch marks. Honoring our bodies and ourselves is such an important thing to do.
  6. The Sun and Her Flowers should not only be read by women but also by those who want to learn to love women well. 




If this resonated with you do not hesitate to purchase The Sun and Her Flowers: 


https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Her-Flowers-Rupi-Kaur/dp/1449486797



Which poetry collections resonate with you? I'd love to hear from you.




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It Is Okay To Rest.

 Rest  Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash I recently rang a relative to wish her happy birthday and asked her what she planned to do for the day. She candidly replied, "Work. We are a hard-working family, remember?"  She was telling the truth. I grew up watching my family till the soil with their bare hands, after all "by the sweat our brow" we had to eat. There is nothing wrong with working hard to provide for yourself and others but at what cost? I decided a long time ago that would not be my narrative.  Balance  Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash  I know what it means to work yourself to the ground. I know what it means to grind and hustle. I know what it means to get caught up in the horrors and toxicity of capitalism. I had to watch my mother do it and, for a while, I inherited that culture.  But there is nothing wrong with laying it down and walking away to redefine productivity.  I know what it means to work myself to exhaustion but, I...
14 comments
Read more

We Are Moving!

Thank you.  This blog has served as a safe space; connecting me to readers all over the world for us since 2019. For that I am truly grateful.  I was first encouraged to start this blog by a friend who felt that that I had a lot to say. (It turned out she was right. Thank you, Lisa. ) This space has helped me to find my voice and my niche. It has been a blessing to witness to my evolution on here as well as learning the cathartic power of community.  It has been quite the journey. Thank you for walking with me. You have seen me through good times and hard times. You have witnessed the publication of two poetry collections. You have read about my heartbreaks, my life's work, my struggles and much more.  I am moving to Substack and I would love if you would come along.  If you wish to continue this journey with me, please use the link below.    Anella's Bits and Pieces Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you can be the first to read future posts....
Post a Comment
Read more

Changing the Narrative!

Annie Spratt on Unsplash I once wrote a poem about succulents. But the truth is I was writing about myself and my story. Indeed, I had come a long way and progress looked good on me. (Poem can be found in my book Bonfire available on Amazon.com) As we celebrated the stories of many women and how they changed the narrative, I began thinking of my story. Many will try to convince you that they know me or know my story. But albeit, I beg to differ. The truth is no one knows my story like I know my story. And no one can tell my story like I can tell my story.  I never wanted to become a teacher; that was my mother's dream and pretty soon it became mine. I handled that dream like it was an heirloom or a rite of passage. Something handed down to me and by all means, it would enable me to lift the family name, rinse it from the mud and hold it towards the sun.  Teaching would be easy. Everyone would be proud. They would all be happy for me. These were my thoughts. This was not so an...
4 comments
Read more