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Soon after my incarceration at San Quentin prison for a capital offense, I was diagnosed as suffering from bipolar and borderline personality disorder. Later, I was also diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. After being told this news, instead of rejecting this analysis, I decided to embrace my mental illness and do all I could to become aware of how important mental wellness is for me and for others too. This decision resulted in my confronting many of my past behaviors.
One day, while doing some writing exercises in prison, I began to notice some of the works I had written, and I thought to myself, Cliff, man, your pen is on fire like it has flames shooting off the paper! It was at this moment that I decided not to shy away from my mental illness, but embrace it in a creative direction, and I started collecting my poems for possible publication. Looking over the wide range of poetry. I chose to title my work Pens on Fire: The Multiple Personalities of a Poet. Realizing that society often views mental illness as a stigma. I began to believe that I could use my experiences to help others like me. Through my poetry, I could reach out to those who are or will be identified as mentally ill.
I now spent half of my twenty-eight-year on death row at San Quentin in the prison's mental health program and have learned so much about my well-being. I want people who are hurting, those who have been labeled "different," or anyone who needs encouragement to seek help. By the grace of God, I trust these poems will bring you healing, comfort, and inspiration!
