Showing posts with label Poetry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poetry. Show all posts

Maya Angelou’s poem ‘Still, I rise’ connects with me on many levels. There’s beauty between the lines and on the lines. It’s a poem about strength which at this moment in time is something I can wholeheartedly relate to.

I'm only going to mention this once more because quite frankly I've given it way more air time than it should. The last nine months has been one massive test. My living situation at university was just a bundle of tension and stress. And unfortunately, there's nothing we could really do about it. Or at least, felt safe enough to do something about it. I spoke to every possible person. I was so distracted over it that it had a negative impact on my work and at numerous points, I felt I had lost control over everything. Except I was so distracted over the living situation that I was less stressed about work. To give you an idea of the extent of the issues: camping out on your flatmate's floor to seek refuge from the antics of another flatmate was a low moment. So was checking up on said flatmate to see if she was okay after being shouted at to find her friend had come round (at 2AM) to make sure she was okay. But walking the streets late at night (11PM) holding a pillow on the way to a friends house was an even lower moment. We won’t mention the bottle of pinot pressed against my eye at 8:30 in the morning to reduce the massive bags under my eyes before my 9AM.

In every testing situation, there’s a balancing act to be done. Picture a weighing scale. On one side is the testing factor and on the other your desire to achieve the goal. The side that holds your desire should weigh down the testing factor by far. That’s how I always find motivation and determination to push through troubling times. If the scales are close to balancing then maybe your desire is wavering and you should think back to where that desire stemmed from in the first place. Nothing should take you away from what you want to achieve. It is your life and you have the right to determine what you want to do with it. 

So, in every testing situation remember that there are more important things to think about. Such as that goal you're on track to achieve. I know that can be incredibly hard to absorb especially when all you feel is anger but turn it into determination. If you need to, go to the gym and pound it out on the treadmill. It helps! 


In the words of Maya Angelou...
“Still, I rise”.

Love, Aoife xo

Have you ever been afraid to read a book? No? I suppose no one ever gets scared of a book but when I bought milk and honey, I was afraid to go near it. Not because it was bad or I thought it was going to be rubbish, but because I knew -I got this feeling- that in front of me was a really powerful book. A book that could make me happy and tear me to shreds seconds later.


Milk + Honey is a collection of poems split into four sections; the loving, the breaking, the hurting and the healing. Kaur articulates every feeling, emotion and thought that I’ve ever felt and haven't yet felt. She made me feel happy, sad, vulnerable and strong. Through her poetry, Kaur is able to teach a way of life that we’ve become accustomed too. She points out how we (especially females) have been forced to accept things as a way of life.

After reading this book, I definitely felt as though I’d been schooled in life. I felt as though I’d been taught to understand I’m a vulnerable creature and there’s plenty of loss in life. But I was also taught to appreciate life and there’s beauty in vulnerability. It’s the vulnerability that makes us human and being human is a beautiful thing. She also taught me that love is a very passionate emotion and we should be able to experience that and give everything to it.

Milk + Honey is definitely a book I would recommend. And I think everyone should read it at least once in their life. It’s the type of book that gets you thinking and tapping into/ confronting emotions that you’re used to hiding away. It’s the type of book that shows beauty in life, through the loving, breaking, hurting and healing. It’s a book that encourages hope and makes you look at the person you are and want to be. She writes about being whole as a person before you can give yourself to others. Kaur touches on the pressures of society and what is right for the mind and body. 



Milk + Honey has to be one the best books I’ve ever read. She changes the game on poetry and it made me fall in love with the written musical language. There’s so much emotion rooted deep down in the pit of your stomach that rises up into your heart (if you read it properly). If you’re debating what to read next, or you keep putting off buying the book. Buy it now! Because it’s the game changer you need in your life.

Love, Aoife x

P.S- I'm going to read her new book the sun and her flowers next. I'll let you know how it goes.