A performance by an Indian-born Canadian feminist poet, writer, and spoken-word artist Rupi Kaur. 12 March 2017. Hunter College, NYC, USA.


By Nazgul Asangojoeva-Baekova

Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur is an Indian-born Canadian poet, writer, and spoken-word artist. Her work is unapologetically feminist. Her 2015 book of poetry, “milk and honey” deals with themes of violence, abuse, love, laws, and femininity. All of her works are done in all lower case, and the only form of punctuation it contains are periods. She said she decided to write in this way to honor her culture. In Burmuki script there is only one case and only periods are used. Also, she says that she enjoys the equality of lowercase letters and that her writing style reflects her world view.

In response to seeing the audience from the stage, she said that she could not see our beautiful faces, but she could feel our radiant energies. Rupi asked the audience that if we liked what she was saying to not be afraid to laugh and clap. She explained, that the more the audience would give her, the more she would give them. Rupi performed some of her poetry resounding;

”boys acted in the way that her body did not belong to her, it belonged to them… she hated her body; she must have done something terrible to deserve it… she said that her body is not a fan…she is busy with learning the consequences of womanhood when she should be learning science and math instead…she is not a mannequin in a window of his favorite shop… he cannot dress her up and throw her out when she is worn… she said that she is not a manikin and he is not a cannibal…that he will control himself...".

Everyone clapped and cheered to support her.

I liked some of her lines very much; such as, "I am not a street meat I am a homemade jam … I am not a hotel room I am a home … I am not whiskey you want I am the water you need … So do not come here with expectations and try to make a vacation out of me…do not tell me that my women (Indian) are not beautiful as yours in this country…”

She also performed one of her poems titled, “Broken English”. The poem was inspired by her parents. Her mom left the world behind her to place herself in something that was so foreign and did not accept her. She recited her poem:

"I think how father pulls our family out of poverty. And her mother with four children without being able to construct a perfect sentence in English. This couple had landed in a new world with the hope that had loved to better a taste of rejection in their mouth. No family, no friends. Just man and wife. Two university degrees that meant nothing. One mother tongue was broken now. One swallow baby inside of belly of her mother. And father worrying about job and rent. Because no matter what? This baby was coming. And they thought themselves for a split second was it worth it to put all our money into the dream of a country that is swallowing us as a hole. And Papa looks at his woman`s eyes and sees loneliness, wants to give a home in a country that looks at her with a word visitor, wrapped around her tongue. She left the entire country to be worried…And children of migrants would hate them to be children of immigrants. The children of immigrants, they worked too hard…so, how dare you your mother when she opens her mouth, and Broken English still sounds. Do not be ashamed of the fact that she split two countries to be here. So you would not have to pass a short line. Her accent, as thick like honey hold with your life. It is the only thing that she from her home. Do not you stop on that richness? Instead, hang it up on the walls of museums next to Dali and Bangkok. She is more than our punctuation and language. We might be able to paint pictures and write stories because she made an entire world for herself. So how is that for art?”

When she finished reciting her poem, the audience erupted into cheer and applause. I could not stop my tears because I imagined that I also could be in the same situation. I too have three daughters, whom I must support and educate alone. Maybe I have to immigrate to another country and leave everything behind so my children will have a better life in the future.