Description

A Collection of Poetry
By Janet Qureshi

ISBN: 978-1-84991-049-1
Published: 2009
Pages: 62
Key Themes: poetry, depression, positivity, mental health problems

ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK

Description

‘Aspects of Life’ is a collection of poems based on my personal experiences. Perhaps the predominant mental health issue relating to my book is ‘creativity evolves from the depths of depression.’ The poems incorporate my strong belief in a Higher Power who invades my mind and enables me to turn Negatives into Positives. I believe poetry is for sharing and in my darkest days I was able to produce something for my family, friends and anyone else who loves creativity to remember me by. I hope the book will inspire people to be optimistic about mental health problems.

About the Author

Janet Qureshi was born in 1945. She had a twin brother but they were adopted separately. Her adopted mother died when she was 9 years old. She grew up as an only child, with an elderly father. Her Grandmother was a great source of strength to her until she died in 1971. Janet left high school with 3 A-levels. She studied nursing. She was married in 1969 and had a daughter in 1970. Janet was divorced from her alcoholic husband in 1974. Having suffered with a low self-esteem from childhood, her anxiety spiralled out of control. She remarried and divorced again. She worked in the retail business for 13 years until she had a stroke in 1993 – one year after the birth of her first grandchild. She then began writing poetry which she aptly called ‘Aspects of Life.’ She has been a Service User for several years and has been involved in various mental health activities. She is currently involved with Birmingham University to whom she is eternally grateful for the opportunities offered, including an opportunity to have her work published by ‘Chipmunka.’

Book Extract

TO AN UNBORN CHILD

Precious child may you grow in Grace
And be an asset to our race
We humbly wait for nature’s course
To reveal a life from a hidden source