A song and poem (*released early and exclusively for FLARE)
Performance/Lyrics/Melody: ELCEE
Producer: AUDIO MG
The lyrics/poem here:
Verse 1:
I was thinking that anything strictly medical
Would dull my spirit and remove my alchemical
Understanding of the tides in my mind.
But I’m okay
Chorus:
Sift through the sugar, but don’t let it go down
I live in Salt
A synthetic home of peaceful rest.
I live in Salt
Verse 2:
Waking up meant that I was falling asleep again
A lullaby to the push-pull euphoria—
But I was so far gone
Can’t feel anything
Am I okay?
Chorus:
Sift through the sugar, but don’t let it go down
I live in Salt
A synthetic home of peaceful rest.
I live in Salt
Bridge:
I see the feeling as it comes to me in the wishing well
It never drops down. No, it never drops down
Or makes a sound
Chorus:
Sift through the sugar, but don’t let it go down
I live in Salt
A synthetic home of peaceful rest.
I live in Salt
Bridge:
I miss the fresh water
I miss the waterfall
But I live in Salt
Writer’s Inspiration Statement
“I Live in Salt” is both a poem and a song, reflecting on the contradictions of both needing medication and also dreading the inevitable side effects that follow.
This piece touches on Lithium, as a salt, with the writer/performer dualing with both positive and negative (salt and sugar) aspects of taking the medication.
Living with a chronic condition, like bipolar, can be difficult, and at times, medication makes us numb where we can’t truly experience feelings, but ultimately, we take it for our stability and peace of mind. It’s a complicated relationship!
Laura (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary, Kiwi musician/poet, based in Melbourne, Australia. She writes both music and poems to express and connect with the world. Her poetry account gloss and grit often explores work in a heightened or unusual way. In a similar vein, Laura also writes melodies and lyrics under the pseudonym @elcee_music (genre: alt pop/synth). Elcee (Laura) calls her work poem pop, and on occasion, both mediums are interwoven. To her, her poems and music are all about loving the contrasts in life. It’s about having an affinity with opposites and sifting through what is offbeat, making it familiar. Through life’s ups and downs, she takes comfort in bringing to light the shadow aspects of life.
Instagram: @glossandgrit_poetry and @elcee_music