Request for a Normal Life: A Poet Waits

By Brian Behnke and Janet Behnke

A Request for a Normal Life is a compilation of poems written by Brian Behnke who passed away in 1995 at the age of 33. He held a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Though Brian was a talented artist and photographer, poetry was his final passion. His poetry was extremely personal and the reader can follow his adult years through these poems. Brian's poetic style blended the use of metaphors and Old English. Brian suffered from bi-polar disorder which had a devastating impact on his life. His last written words were to his beloved mother, Janet. Among these last words was his request and hope that one day his poems would be published. A Request for a Normal Life is not just a book of poems, but the story of a tortured young man longing for normalcy and peace from the mental illness that tormented his soul. The poem "Epitaph" was written on the last day of Brian's life. Brian's mother Janet, was able to salvage the majority of his poetry in its original text and format. Janet created A Request for a Normal Life to fulfill Brian's dream.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1482042134
• ISBN13: 9781482042139
• Release Date: January 2013
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.4" x 8.0"