WHEN POETRY MEETS VISUAL ART: MILK AND HONEY

 

 

Hi, everyone! Have you ever heard of a contemporary poetess called Rupi Kaur?  I started to read her first book of poetry, Milk and Honey, at the beginning of the year and I found out a whole world in her poetry.

WHO IS RUPI KAUR?

Rupi Kaur is a Canadian poetess, illustrator, photographer, and author. She was born in Punjab, India, but, then,  her family  migrated to Canada, when she was 4. She began to do performing poetry in 2009.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE OUR PRESENT AND FUTURE BETTER?

 

Hi, everyone! Have you ever thought about what you can do to make your life better? I am not superstitious nor believe in bad luck. I believe in facts and commitment. What about you? On 31st December I was hopeful, deep in thought and reflecting on my own New Year's Resolutions: I hoped 2022 would be a year of change for me so I started wondering what I could do to be an active change maker, for myself, my family and the whole world.

I was also inspired by the words of our President Sergio Mattarella. His words were truly inspiring.

THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY

Every dawn brings a new day,

washing with the light of hope

the stains and dust of the spirit

empty of every past day.

You want to conceal yourself!

The heart does not obey,

diffused light from the eyes.

In life there is no hope

to avoid pain:

that you can find in the soul

the strength to bear it.

EXSTRINSIC VS INTRINSIC GOALS

There are people who work hard to archieve something they've always wanted to get, thinking about the goal itself and so being focused just on the prize they would get in the end. Those goals are called extrinsic, and they're usually connected with narcisism, individualism and also depression. People having those goals are often people with denied choices or people under pressure who are trying to escape from their condition.

GEORGE GRAY - CATCH THE WIND OF DESTINY WHEREVER THEY DRIVE THE BOAT

Here are Andrea's and Sofia's reflections of Edgar Lee Masters' poem, George Gray

ANDREA: REGRET IN GEORGE GRAY

This epitaph by Edgar Lee Masters wants to underline the irremediable despair of those who didn’t have the courage to face life in order to fully live it. The poem is written in free verse , without any rhyme nor structures of stanzas.

ALEXANDER THROCKMORTON AND THE PURSUIT OF GENIUS

In youth my wings were strong and tireless, 

but I did not know the mountains.

In age I knew the mountains

But my weary wings could not follow my vision

Genius is wisdom and youth.

(E.L. Masters, Spoon River Anthology, 1915)

Alexander Throckmorton is one of the protagonists of Edgar Lee Masters’ collection of poems Spoon River Anthology. Each poem tells the story of one of Spoon River’s citizens. All the protagonists,  now dead, confess their desires, ambitions and, above all, their regrets. 

The poem, composed by five free lines, is written in the first person. In the first line Alexander describes life as a flight whose destination is the “mountains”. These mountains stand for knowledge and experience. Instead,  the “wings”, which makes him able to fly, symbolise dreams, ambitions, desires, energy, and freedom.