Neil Hilborn is one of my very favorite poets.
He is a performance poet who writes words that burst in my head.
But you know what? Neil Hilborn is particularly interesting because he writes about mental illness. He writes about his own experiences with the disorder, as he has been diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
His poetry is incredibly real and raw.
For example, "The Future" is a poem written about Bipolar Disorder.
And "OCD," well...it's a bit self-explanatory.
I can't watch this one without crying.
I will return to Neil Hilborn soon, but for now I would like my readers to think about the impact of poetry written to express illnesses that are often stigmatized in our society.
Does it require courage to write and perform these pieces?
How would you define this courage?
Does listening to these poems show you things you didn't previously know about either disorder?
How does this affect the way you view these illnesses?
How does self expression help you to cope with your own problems?
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