Halsey’s “I Would Leave Me If I Could” - A Review
By: Mallory Johnson
Last October, the singer Halsey released her very first poetry book titled “I Would Leave Me If I Could,” and I finally read it recently. The book is full of beautifully written poems and references to some of Halsey’s music, which I really liked as I am a huge fan of her music. I loved that she included her poem “A Story Like Mine” in the book, because she performed it at the 2018 Women’s March in New York City, and it was VERY powerful (you can watch a video of her performing it on YouTube). The poem discusses her and her friend’s experiences with sexual assault, so please be careful when you read it.
The book is full of beautifully honest poems that give you a personal inside glimpse of her life, even more than her music gives you. The cover art of the book is also beautiful and was made by Halsey herself! Most of the poems are not too long, but “A Story Like Mine” is approximately four pages long. A few poems reference Halsey and her reproductive journey. She is pregnant right now, but she had a miscarriage in the past (and performed a concert the same night!) A few poems reference her bisexuality, which I love. Halsey talks about her childhood, family life, relationships, trauma, and more. Overall, I give this book a whopping 10/10, and highly recommend picking it up! You can find it at most bookstores!