Poet and performer Rupi Kaur on the reality of going on tour, and the shared experience that she honors in her work

When we think of poetry, it’s easy to imagine serious stanzas that we decipher in stiff lecture halls. Enter Rupi Kaur, a Punjabi Sikh immigrant from Canada, who has disrupted the modern literary world with her brand of approachable poetry.

You might not admit it, but you know who Rupi Kaur is. You’ve seen her bite-sized poems and snippets of her performances go viral on social media. You’ll find mutuals that have definitely reposted her words (and accompanied illustrations) after a breakup, International Women’s Day or as a motivational good morning message. This is “Insta-poetry”, where writers publish their poems on social media to gain traction, and millions of devotees. Where does Rupi Kaur stand in all of this? She’s a trailblazer who self- published her debut poetry collection milk and honey when she was still in university, when creative writing professors made it clear no one would be interested. She’s a modern-day Bard decked in custom-made dresses that demand a stage big enough to hold all that she brings to the table — this is the Queen B of all of the Instapoets.