Don't Let Go: Poetry and Lyrics Through the Eyes of Bipolar Illness

Lesa Marie Nolte was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1971. She was the third in line out of four sisters. Her mom made sure she got almost everything she wanted including unconditional love and nurturing. So in that sense, she was blessed. Lesa’s struggle with bipolar illness began suddenly one day when she woke up and was “an entirely different person.” She was lost in a world of darkness with dark clouds hanging above her constantly. Through her manic-depression came a side of creativity, where she could express herself and possibly feel slightly better after her feelings were written down on paper. It is out of pain, fear, insecurity and even love that she wrote this poetry from age sixteen until present. The poetry collection is the story of Lesa’s struggle throughout life, and she hopes someone can learn from or can relate to her writings.