ISBN: 798299279252

An anthology of writings that describes the creative life of the author John Frederick Zurn. which includes poetry, short stories, newsletters, plays, and even the narration for a possible children’s book.

This collection has mental illness and recovery as the major emphasis, but they all describe elements of the human condition, and includes many examples of the author's best work, much of which have been published in literary journals or other publications worldwide.

As the title suggests, The Jagged Edge Anthology implies that life is often difficult and even dangerous for individuals struggling with mental illness. This theme can often be found in the author’s writing; and the plots and ideas within this collection represent actual events that have occurred throughout his spiritual journey through life.

MENTAL HEALTH

Melt Down

From deep in her soul,

A feeling- purely inspired- ascends

That promises magic and purpose.

This girl unfurls her mind

To chronicle rhythms and signs

That quickens her poem’s foundation.

But slowly her vision 

Grinds down into pieces of memory,

And soon her ideas become fragments.

As deflated thinking 

And dehydrated words lose their power,

The left-over verse bubbles over.

This insecure poem 

That breeds self-conscious musings

Finally collapses in on itself.

The “wanna be” artist

And make believe mystical prophet

Then sadly returns to her anguish.

A Day in Hell for the Mentally Ill

Forgotten residents

drink 

tap water coffee

and smoke

hand me down cigarettes

salvaged from the floor.

Zombies ambling down dark dreary halls,

their silent screaming 

drones on and on within

their hearts.

The half competent doctors

Ask their sanity questions

“Who is the president?”

as if it matters at all.

Then appear the nurses’ medications that 

make the residents

sleep on the floor and perpetually wait on line.

In the end the residents’ only releases

are recycled Spam

and a

mind numbing sleep, from which they pray to God they will never

awaken

Trapped

Seeds of thought

germinate

and

grow in my mind

but never do they

reach

the (dark)

inner sun.

So

I compel my

wayward consciousness

to be

silent;

Yet

when hope

waters

these seed thoughts again,

I

fall

back

into

thought

once

more. Trapped.