Point of View

Kaur’s collection is a work of confessional poetry, and is therefore told from the point of view of Kaur herself. Kaur consistently employs the first-person “I” in order to relate intensely personal experiences which are not discussed in usual conversation. In this way, Kaur uses her poetry as a way of breaking through societal conventions. Although it would not be usual to speak about experiences such as rape or abusive relationships in casual conversation, it becomes acceptable within Kaur’s genre of poetry. In this way, Kaur challenges societal conventions, using her poetry to demonstrate that more personal experiences need to be talked about and externalized in order for an individual to heal.

In “rooting,” Kaur shifts away from confessional poetry, instead delving into political poetry. Kaur meditates on the experiences of immigrants and refugees, speculating on their own personal experiences through her poetry...