Saline Solutions
Poetry Trilogy
2022
Ponton Magazine
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The three poems “Dendrite Dreams”, “Salt Cycle” and “Saline Subject” were written as collaborative texts by Tiiu and Carlos for Ponton Magazine. The structure and writing methodology of each poem was informed by the chemical, cyclical and cultural qualities of salt.
“Dendrite Dreams” is about the chemical composition of salt as a material, and is structured after the dendrite crystal formations that salt grows in. Each line was written one after the other, growing the crystal and building multiple simultaneous narratives for the reader to pick and choose to follow.
“Salt Cycle'' is about the movement of salt in ecosystems. The graphics are informed by the cycle that salt moves through to make the sea saline. The reader can follow the narrative of the cycle, or explore each geo-location individually, discovering how prevalent salt is in all its forms.
The final poem “Saline Subjects” is a collection of texts about human perspectives and experiences of salt as a social and cultural element. Here, the origins of Tiiu and Carlos from the Baltic sea and Atacama desert respectively, have a heavy prominence as they refer to their own memories and relationships with salt. All the stanzas seek to give voice to the more-than-human quality of salt, while admitting that our human perspectives can only go so far in envisioning beyond the human.


