Journey

"Eleventh Hour

Bouncing off walls,

a self-contained

directionless

rubber ball.

Feeling split

ripped apart

wanting everything

and nothing.

Black holes

try to swallow me

and I say let me wallow

in pain and self-doubt.

(I could be here on a

mission or as a fake

a simple, misfitted

contraceptive 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.