Kathleen Phillips

Journey Kathleen Phillips

Eleventh HourBouncing off walls,a self-containeddirectionlessrubber ball. Feeling splitripped apartwanting everythingand nothing. Black holestry to swallow meand I say let me wallowin pain and self-doubt.(I could be here on amission or as a fakea simple, misfittedcontraceptive mistake). Journey, a touching poetry collection, depicts a lifespan that shows the innermost thoughts and feelings of author Kathleen Phillips's battle with schizoaffective disorder-a combination of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The poems included in Journey portray a unique voyage representing Phillips's reflections at different stages of her life. At times, there are verses written during the calm, balanced periods. At others, the poems show the volatile, explosive emotions of a mentally ill person. Journey will instill hope and peace both in those living with a mental illness and in their loved ones. Draw comfort and strength from Phillips's words, and use them to help you through your own challenges.