Anxiety

You keep me locked up

In my mental jail cell

Slowly my soul has been starving

I am being suffocated

Gasping for breath

Your icy fingers wrapped ‘round my throat

Crushing me under the weight

Of all I am not

And all you remind me I will never be

You tie bricks to my feet

Throw me in the river

Grinning as I struggle and suffer

Crucifying, mocking

Binding me to the stake

Burning alive until I have turned to ash

Slowly you cut me

Open wounds old and new

I feel the blood draining from my body

After all this time

I am somehow still here

Though I am no longer the person I once was

I lay naked, exposed

Crumpled in the corner

My body is merely a deflated balloon

My soul is hurt

Damaged beyond repair

My own mind has turned against me now

I feel helpless

But somewhere inside me

My heart whispers it’s not ready to quit

I find the strength

To attempt to rebuild

Even when I crumble, I try again

Embracing love

I let others help

Show them a glimpse of the internal torture

Exploring the good

Becoming myself

Even after I thought I was gone

Newfound peace

I love myself

My smile finally reaches my eyes

A flower growing

In the unforgiving tundra

Somehow I am blossoming at last

So much of me is lost

But new pieces found

Thanks to you, darling, wretched anxiety