Odes to Lithium is a collection of poems that were written with wit and poignance, looking into what it’s like for one person to live with bipolar disorder. What I appreciated about this collection was how Erlichman explored her complex feelings of being on medication. These poems reflect the struggle of what it means (or might mean) to be “normal,” and crucially, how taking medication influences this idea of what normalcy is. While the title plainly states that these poems are odes to the medication, Lithium, Erlichman explores the complication of making such praises through lived experiences.

Some of my favorite poems from the collection include: “Side Effects,” “The Knife-Flower,” “Postscript to Mania,” “89 Lines on a Bruise,” “Barometer,” and “Pink Noise.”