Analysis of a Poem from a Book Entitled "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur

Poetry is a form of literary work that aims to express the poet's thoughts and feelings imaginatively. Poems are usually made based on life experiences or meaningful creative ideas, which are arranged in beautiful words. So often poetry also makes the story of women's lives as its theme. One of the poems that raises the theme of women's life stories with their problems is a poem by Rupi Kaur. Her poems were made into a book entitled Milk and Honey, which is her first book. In the book Milk and Honey, which contains a collection of poems, it describes the oppression, struggle, and success of women seeking their existence. This of course goes into feminism. Here I will analyze a poem by Rupi Kaur in her book entitled Milk and Honey with a feminism perspective.

Feminism is a women's movement to reject something that is marginalized, demeaned, and subordinated by culture, social, both in the public and domestic fields. Feminism was born with the aim of finding a balance between men and women, so that women are no longer treated unfairly in a patriarchal society. Patriarchy itself is a behavior that prioritizes men over women in certain societies or social groups. So, everything must get permission from the men in power first. Feminism fights for gender equality such that men or women get education as freely as possible or as high as possible, there is no different treatment in the world of work, have the same rights.

apparently it is ungraceful of me

to mention my period in public

cause the actual biology

of my body is too real

it is okay to sell what's

between a woman's legs

more than it is okay to

mention its inner workings

the recreational use of

this body is seen as

beautiful while

its nature is

seen as ugly

 - rupi kaur

The above poem is a poem that does not rhyme. The poem tells of a woman who cannot carelessly talk about menstruation in public because it is considered impolite, we can see in the quote "apparently it is ungraceful of me to mention my period in public" (stanza 1). Talking about menstruation is considered a taboo subject, so women often feel embarrassed when they have to talk about it in public, especially if they are of the opposite sex. For this reason, not a few people then replace or refine the word 'menstruation' with other terms. Then next, "cause the actual biology of my body is too real" (stanza 1), this quote tries to explain that menstruation is a biological cycle that every woman in this world has to go through. Then why is menstruation considered a taboo, this should be a natural and commonplace thing. Even this taboo thing makes women ashamed when carrying sanitary napkins, most women hide when carrying them, which is basically a need that women must fulfill. In contrast to telling or talking about women's vital organs, this is not a taboo subject for most people, this is confirmed by the quote from the poem above, "more than it is okay to mention its inner workings" (stanza 2). Therefore, many men prefer the female body over the female reproductive system. The poem above also agrees that "the recreational use of this body is seen as beautiful" (stanza 3). When someone is talking about a woman's body parts or even having sex with a woman, they often talk about it normally, not something strange. However, talking about menstruation is considered taboo and is seen as negative. "its nature is seen as ugly" (stanza 3) the quote above explains that menstruation is seen as ugly. Menstruating people are considered dirty. In addition to being negatively stigmatized, they are often discriminated against while menstruating, such as getting bullied when they are "translucent" or having to go back and forth to the bathroom to change sanitary napkins. Bad stigmas and discrimination against women who are menstruating are clearly related to feminism. Because in this poem it means women who are humiliated during menstruation.

Many women's life stories are raised as themes in poetry. The book Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur contains a collection of poems with the theme of women's problems. One of the poems in the book tells about women who are menstruating as dirty, and people are taboo about talking about menstruation. Women's bodies are liked but their nature is considered despised. Women who are menstruating are looked down upon and have entered into feminism. The atmosphere in this poem is sadness when feminism appears. This poem by Rupi Kaur conveys a message not to commit acts of feminism against women who are menstruating by looking at them dirty or lowly, because menstruation is the nature of a woman.