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I Would Leave Me If I Could by Halsey

Photo credit: Muzical Post, YouTube via The Torch
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Celebrity Feature: Halsey

 

I Would Leave Me If I Could: Poetry Collection by Halsey

 

From the beginning of each of her songs, you’re swept into a vibrant whirlwind of vivid imagery and storytelling. Ashley Nicolette Frangipane walks through the world most commonly known as “Halsey”. Yet, her celebrity persona aside each time she writes, revealing the most intimate parts of her soul. Now, Halsey’s lyrics have come to life in a visual way. The pages of her debut poetry collection, I Would Leave Me if I Could, amplify the relentless honesty her fans know and love. The three time Grammy winner’s pen proves to be just as potent on paper as it is on a track!

From Ashley to Halsey

The New Jersey native has come a long way from her Tumblr days! Her 2014 EP Room 93 started her career with a bang! The most chillingly poetic lyrics of identity, romance and change are spread across this five song EP. Yet, each track introduces experiences that shaped Halsey with a profound level of truth. This type of vulnerability is what has made myself and millions of others fall in love with Halsey’s art. Her willingness to dive into the dark depths of her life publicly is a rare act of bravery. And her poetry is no different!

 I Would Leave Me If I Could Poetry Collection by Halsey
Photo credit: @yasi via Instagram

I Would Leave Me If I Could: A Collection of Poetry

Lines throughout this collection tell readers of the challenges Halsey faces in her relationships, family life, traumas and battle with her mental health. The lyricist has been remarkably vocal and open about her experiences with bipolar disorder since the beginning of her career. As her platform has grown, so has her vulnerability and advocacy. In her most recent album, appropriately titled Manic, she pulls back the curtain on the nuances that exist in her life. From a gentle confessional, Still Learning, to the perfect break-up anthem, Without Me, this album effortlessly attacked the darkest, messiest parts of life with love. This album was designed to prepare her audience for new level of openness they were soon to experience in I Would Leave Me if I Could.

“My mouth tastes like all the things I should have said.”

The first piece in this collection, Introduction, tells us that the writer’s ready to reveal more than we thought possible. Each word, visceral, strong, and meticulously placed, walks us through the endless maze that is Halsey’s mind. She finds love for herself only after becoming familiar with the parts she would “leave if she could”. She discovers moments of clarity only after accidentally chasing the most chaotic experiences. Halsey, like most of us, grants herself the freedom to exist fully, but only after becoming so familiar with the cage she created while living in survival mode. The messiness of each word is far too relatable. Whether or not you have experienced the stories Halsey writes of, you will certainly feel them.

 I Would Leave Me If I Could Poetry Collection by Halsey
Photo Credit: ALBUM COVER COURTESY OF CAPITOL RECORDS. PHOTO (RIGHT): AIDAN CULLEN via Teen Vogue

“Be a voice for all those who have prisoner tongues.”

Poetry is written to reveal truth. It explains the feelings and thoughts we have with the accuracy we, as readers and humans, have been searching for. Halsey’s ability to do this both through poetry and lyrics is a testament to her genius. But her ability to peel away the layers of her heart to expose her wounds and comfort those who share the same pains is a testament to her strength. It is a testament to the power of humility, self-awareness and the beauty exploring the ebb and flow of what it means to be human. 

“I don’t say it often, but I’m proud of the woman that I turned out to be” – Halsey

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