My name is Michael Lewis and I am from the north east of England. At the age of sixteen I was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. I have spent most of my life seeing my condition as a positive due to its effect of intense feeling, creative energy and a sense of enhanced personal confidence.
After my father was murdered in 2009 I wrote poetry as a way of healing and releasing the intense energy that came with the shock and bereavement. In the days before I settled down and started a family I enjoyed wandering alone to new places and spending the day busking.
These days I find nothing better than putting my family to bed and spending the night alone with an ale, writing poetry. Those three hours of solitude are my favourite of the day. That is when my thoughts come alive and I share them @peppered_leopard