If you are a part of any sort of social media, you’ve probably heard of “Milk and Honey”. Rupi Kaur’s hit book of relatable poetry was published in 2014, and it’s been in thousands of teenage girl’s hands- and snapchat stories- ever since.

“Milk and Honey” is a collection of poetry that is meant to help girls heal when they are hurt, and become empowered. After reading a few of Rupi Kaur’s pieces I came to the realization that her work was merely telling girls what they wanted to hear, and not what they actually needed to hear.

On almost every page of “Milk and Honey” or “Whiskey Words and a Shovel” there is a small drawing accompanying the poem. They aesthetic layout of these pages prove to be more enticing than the words, and I feel that this is the reason why pages upon pages of otherwise meaningless poetry end up on so many girls VSCOs and Instagram’s, and Twitters. People are looking for guidance or hope in these books, but there is so much more poetry out there by other inspiring female writers, whose work can actually make an impact on people’s lives.

Through my research, I came across three collections of poetry that are written beautifully, and actually mean something. First and foremost, Maya Angelou’s poetry is the most impactful writing I have every read. Her pieces cover struggle, recovering, and strength which are all key issues girls can relate to. Elizabeth Bishop’s writing is amazing as well, and she covers perception and the ability to control the chaos in your life. Finally, the book “She believed she could so she did” by Rogena Michael-Jones is an clean slate for girls to write on, where they can express both their pain and strength. This can be helpful because sometime writing your own pieces are the best therapy.

When there is a lot going on in your life or stress seems to take over, it is important to find ways to cope with those problems. Writing your feelings down or reading something that you can relate to in your time of need will  begin  to take that stress away. Reading healing poetry can also start the process of  taking on a more  positive outlook on life.

In the end, reading the right poetry for you can be healing. Excerpts about strength, pain, and love that you can relate to can make all the difference when you are dealing with just about anything in your life. Whether you stick to what  you know and dive into a Rupi Kaur book or try and find some new and even meaningful, reading is one of the best escapes from reality.