About James
Galen's son, James Strazza, was a passionate musician, songwriter, teacher and producer. He lost everything because no one urged him to radically rest, which could have prevented catastrophic neurological suffering and disability.
Music by James Strazza
Since James was unable to play instruments like he used to, he worked with existing recordings and demo sessions, doing the computer production work when he was able.
Every song represents many hours of extreme difficulty for him. Even though he tries to space efforts out carefully, he often crashes with extreme pain from brain inflammation for hours after a session on his computer.
Poetry by James Strazza
Unsung: Poems Written in the Dark
We published James's second book of poetry in April, 2025. He'd matured as a writer and his isolation with severe ME has deepened his wisdom, enabling him to capture the unthinkable in a way others can grasp.
BookLife by Publisher's Weekly understood his message >
“Strazza’s sophomore poetry collection following Lyrical is a heartbreaking yet powerful account of his experiences suffering from severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). To live with a chronic illness is to live on the fringes of a society designed to uplift able-bodied people and erase or ignore those who lack that privilege, and Strazza’s collection speaks truth to those power structures.
"Strazza expresses a life distilled to the barest physical ability, but the poems he writes transcend the physical world even as they describe it. Readers will find much that moves in this pained but triumphant collection."
Reviews from Scholars
“These poems are not about pain. They are pain, transformed into words. Without melodramatic, unnecessary embellishments."
Grzegorz Kwiatkowski,
Yale Artist in Residence, poet, musician, activist, scholar
"This poet—and he is a poet in the fullest sense—gives utterance to a horrific reality that escapes all utterance. Transforming us into witnesses, he ignites our own soul: to read James Strazza is to burn with him. And to be forever transformed.”
David Patterson,
historian and professor at the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies, Hillel A. Feinberg Distinguished Chair in Holocaust Studies, University of Texas at Dallas
"Some books we read entertain us. Some books we read educate us. Some books we read inspire us. And, rarely, we read a book that captivates us, leaving such a deep imprint that it becomes a part of us. Usung is among these rarest of books that I have been fortunate enough to encounter throughout a lifetime of reading.”
Philip Barber,
PhD candidate and former Rhetoric Instructor at UT Dallas
Check out five-star Reviews of Unsung on Amazon >
A Fan Reads a Poem
Lyrical: Poems that will blow you a kiss or punch you in the stomach
James was experiencing his most extreme suffering between July and October of 2020. He couldn’t hold his phone and type, but he put poetry together in his mind and softly mutter talk-to-text. During extreme suffering, James pushed himself to write so that he could experience creativity again and get through his long, lonely days.
Galen published a book of her son's poetry so he could share his voice with the world.
BookLife by Publisher's Weekly had only praise
“Sometimes funny, sometimes gutting, and always beautiful, Strazza’s poems inspire readers to contemplate the importance of words as vehicles for empathy. Readers and music fans will love this poignant collection of masterfully written poems.”
From Lyrical fans across the world
"This book... I don’t know if any words that I write could even be worthy of describing such a complete masterpiece. The depth, reality, and rawness of his poetry is like none that I’ve read before. I have never experienced an artist that could evoke such a strong emotional response with, at many times, so few words. This is the kind of book that will remain a constant...something you will reach to over and over again finding a new feeling or meaning in lines you’ve read for the 5th time...yet somehow, always feels like the first time again and again. Absolutely brilliant."
"This book has raw power, truth, and a story of sadness that goes straight to the heart. Even though I wanted to stop and ponder certain poems, I had to keep reading. And every poem took me further into this man's life story. Remarkable."
"From the moment I began reading James’s poetry, I was hooked. His raw and real expression behind his words is not only relatable, but felt. His ability to maneuver through both the heart provoking and heartfelt, as well as the clever and straight to the point, shows his incredible talent for writing. You won’t be disappointed!"
"Brilliant, beautiful, and heartbreaking. James Strazza captures so many thoughts and feelings so eloquently, cleverly, and concisely. While also not taking himself too seriously.
I hope the window he opens into the world of severe ME/CFS, where so many are trapped, will help mobilize people to cure this horribly neglected disease."
"Never has a writer said so much in so few words. I’m a huge poetry fan but honestly no poet has ever moved me as much as this one. Every page I think I’ve found a new favourite poem, that’s the kind of book you treasure. I’m so glad he shares his talent with the world."
Here for you.
Galen Warden is a force of nature – a patient empowerment advocate, caregiver, and marketing expert with more than thirty years of experience. A natural cheerleader, Galen has inspired thousands through her instinctive ability to motivate and encourage.Since her son James became bedridden with severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, she has harnessed her talents and made it her mission to advocate for the many people who are not believed by the medical establishment, especially those with ME (ME/CFS), and those who have developed ME following a COVID infection.
Photo by Trent Eliason
Galen's "Why"
When Galen's 32-year-old son, James Strazza, became severely ill and bedridden, she called on her deep caregiving experience from raising six children alone to caring for her father and stepmother in hospice.
Nothing, however, could have prepared her for a chronic illness so severe that it robbed James of all daily activity, but that doctors didn’t recognize. For ten years following three Epstein Barr (mono) episodes, James became weaker, more unable to lift things, to climb stairs, to drive. It happened gradually, but it was so alarming that he kept asking doctors for help. None of them knew about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis — a disease with the key indicator of post-exertional malaise - collapsing for hours or days after exertion. None.
Galen wants to both alarm and inspire you. You can help to stop the shocking, continuing decline of patients from mild, to moderate, to severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis like James. Those that could avoid decline must be told to radically rest. As you immerse yourself in this family's experience, you will fully grasp the tragedy of it, and their amazing journey of emotional endurance. And you will believe.