Anxiety

At first you were scary.
I didn’t understand why
My body was betraying me.
I tried to curl up and hide.

4am, I can’t sleep
My breathing won’t slow down.
My stomach turns,
The tension hurts
I’m not on solid ground.

My head spins
Further down
relentlessly.
My mind no longer a safe place to be.

And then I realized,
these feelings are coming from inside of me.
I trust me,
how bad can they be?

My body would never betray me, it has carried me all this way.
My body would never betray me,
What is it trying to say?

I replace the fear with curiosity
I invite her into my bed
What are you trying to tell me?
What’s going on in my head?

I listened, heard all she had to say.
I promised I wouldn’t ignore her,
Say all you have to say.

Anxiety can be scary, especially when all else is quiet.
Her screams to be heard are relatable,
Repression forces one to grow stronger.

I invite her into my bed,
I give her a seat at my table.
I promise I won’t ignore her,
say all that you have to say.

The more she was heard, the less angry she became
My breathing slowed.
I slept with anxiety.
Turns out, she’s just like you & me.