If you knew me in real life, you would know that even though I love books, I despise poetry. Ironic for a creative writing major I suppose but I just find it hard to understand, pretnetious and designed to make me feel as stupid.

But Rupi Kaur is one of the few poets that speaks to me with her short, straightforward words that pack a lot of meaning as she discusses issues of feminism, abuse, sexuality, immigration and womanhood.

Here are just a few of my favorites from her first book of poetry, milk and honey to whet your appetite.

every time you/tell your daughter/you yell at her/out of love/you teach her to confuse/anger with kindness/which seems like a good idea/till she grows up to/trust men who hurt her/cause they look so much/like you

-to fathers with daughters

nothing is safer/than the sound of you/reading ot loud to me

–the perfect date

you look just like your mother

i guess i do carry her tenderness well

you both have the same eyes

cause we are both exhausted

and the hands

we share the same wilting fingers

but that rage your mother doesn’t wear that anger

you’re right

this rage is the one thing

i get from my father

(homage to warsan shire’s inheritance)

love will come/and when love comes/love will hold you/love will call your name/and you will melt/sometimes though/love will hurt you but/love will never mean to/love will play no games/cause love knows life/has been hard enough already

i need someone/who knows struggle/as well as i do/someone/willing to hold my feet in their lap/on days it is too difficult to stand/the type of person who gives/exactly what i need/before i even know i need it/the type of lover who hears me/even when i do not speak/is the type of understanding/i demand

–the type of lover i need

he only whispers i love you/as he slips his hands/down the waistband/of your pants/this is where you must/understand the difference/between want and need/you may want that boy/but you certainly/don’t need him

i will not have you/build me into your life/when/what i want us to/build a life with you

–the difference

it takes grace/to remain kind/in cruel situations

i have/what i have/and i am happy/i’ve lost/what i’ve lost/and i am/still/happy

–outlook

most importantly love/like it’s the only thing you know how/at the end of the day all this/means nothing/this page/where you’re sitting/your degree/your job/the money/nothing even matters/except love and human connection/who you loved/and how deeply you loved them/how you touched the people around you/and how much you gave them