Rupi Kaur’s poetry is known for its simplicity, emotional clarity, and intimate voice. Her work often explores themes of love, heartbreak, trauma, healing, identity, womanhood, and self-empowerment. She writes in short, free-verse lines without punctuation, creating a style that feels direct and conversational—almost like a personal diary shared with the world.
Her first book, Milk and Honey, became a global bestseller because of its raw honesty and the way it speaks openly about pain and survival. In The Sun and Her Flowers and Home Body, she continues to blend vulnerability with strength, guiding readers through journeys of loss, growth, and self-discovery.
A signature feature of her poetry is the inclusion of simple, minimalist line drawings that deepen the emotional tone of each piece. These visuals, along with her concise language, make her work especially popular on social media, where many readers share her quotes as affirmations of healing and empowerment.
Although some critics argue that her style is too minimal or straightforward, millions of readers connect deeply with her voice. For many people, Rupi Kaur’s poetry feels like a gentle reminder that their pain has meaning and that healing is possible.
Emptying out of my mother's belly
by Rupi Kaur
emptying out of my mother's belly
was my first act of disappearance
learning to shrink for a family
who likes their daughters invisible
was the second
the art of being empty
is simple
believe them when they say
you are nothing
repeat it to yourself
like a wish
i am nothing
i am nothing
i am nothing
so often
the only reason you know
you're still alive is from the
heaving of your chest
Fingers
by Rupi Kaur
the most important conversations
you’ll have are with your fingers
when they nervously graze hers
for the first time during dinner
the thrill of raising goosebumps on
her breasts while unbuttoning her shirt
on days you are angry,
they’ll ball into fists
and she’ll cry,
but as they shake
for forgiveness
she’ll see what
apologies look like
and when one
of you is dying
in a hospital bed at 65,
your hands’ll grip hers
to say things words
can’t describe
i am water
by Rupi Kaur
i am water
soft enough
to offer life
tough enough
to drown it away
My heart Sinks
by Rupi Kaur
My heart sinks
Like an anchor
Into the depths
Of my belly
My eyes sting
But they do not cry
They burn as if filled
With salt water
Sex Takes the Consent of Two
by Rupi Kaur
sex takes the consent of two
if one person is lying there not doing anything
cause they are not ready
or not in the mood
or simply don't want to
yet the other is having sex
with their body it's not love
it is rape
You Leave
by Rupi Kaur
you leave
but you don’t stay gone
why do you do that
why do you
abandon the thing you want to keep
why do you linger
in a place you do not want to stay
why do you think it’s okay to do both
go and return all at once
You Tell Me
by Rupi Kaur
you tell me
i am not like most girls
and learn to kiss me with your eyes closed
something about the phrase - something about
how i have to be unlike the women
i call sisters in order to be wanted
makes me want to spit your tongue out
like i am supposed to be proud you picked me
as if i should be relieved you think
i am better than them
The Type of Lover I Need
by Rupi Kaur
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
To Fathers with Daughters
by Rupi Kaur
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
I Sit On A Chair That Isn’t Mine
by Rupi Kaur
I sit on a chair that isn’t mine
And I feel it
I know that I am a guest
In someone else’s home
So I don’t complain
When they tell me
It is not yours
You do not belong
My heart Sinks
by Rupi Kaur
My heart sinks
Like an anchor
Into the depths
Of my belly
My eyes sting
But they do not cry
They burn as if filled
With salt water
I Will Always Be Scared I Am
by Rupi Kaur
i will always be scared i am
not beautiful enough for you
or if i am beautiful at all
i will change what i’m
wearing five times before i
see you wondering which pair
of jeans will make my body
more tempting to undress
tell me
is there anything i can do
to make you think, her
she is so striking she makes
my body forget it has knees
write it in a letter and address it
to all the insecure parts of me
my uneven fingers my thin legs
your voice alone drives me to tears
yours telling me i am beautiful
yours telling me i am enough
