Marie Davidson Crosses Into Poetry With "Traveler's Faith," Out in September

Trading synths for pen and paper, Marie Davidson isn't writing lyrics this time around—she's writing poetry. The Montreal producer, known for her cold, sardonic electronic work, will release her debut poetry collection "Traveler's Faith" on September 1. The FADER has secured exclusive rights to publish excerpts from two poems in the book.

One poem, "Saul & The Coffee Machine," is set in what seems like an airport or train station—people going through security, gathering around a coffee machine, waiting to board the Eurostar. The poem describes an "impossibly cool" man who suggests everyone go to a nearby Costa instead, then abruptly changes his mind because "they're Zionists"; the narrator shouts across the hall to her husband "Pierre" in Quebec French, and in the end, the five of them settle for bad coffee before boarding. Written in an almost diary-like, conversational style, the poem renders an awkward, absurd travel moment with a bluntness that borders on comic.

The other poem, "You Can't Always Get What You Want," shifts into a more personal register. Davidson writes about the disconnect between being seen for her body on social media versus having anyone ask about the poetry itself—she mentions someone who liked her photos but said nothing about the poems, admitting she'd once naively hoped those reactions "might lead people to read the poetry." This self-deprecating candor stands in clear contrast to the detached, dark humor of "Saul," suggesting the collection isn't aiming to hold a single tone throughout.

Details like the price and publisher of "Traveler's Faith" were not mentioned in The FADER's report or on its public page.