The Nervous Truth

The realm of Anxiety is

filled with nameless terrors,

horrors, and general confusion

over the proper way to respond

to various levels of stimuli.

Sometimes silence is the answer,

sometimes anger is the response,

sometimes it’s the appearance of

uncompassionate shrugging,

sometimes tears well up.

It’s curious how so many

unknown heartaches drive us to

these states; scolded too harshly,

judged too dismissively, ignored,

pushed too hard, not pushed…

It’s a damn mystery in the realm

as much as it is out.  I don’t always

know why this will bother me or why

that won’t.  I just know it does at times

and it makes it hard to be.

It is not about pity or a desire to be

coddled or sheltered. It’s not about

laziness, cowardice, fear or bravery,

it’s not always known why a spiral will

start, there’s only knowing that it has.

The world doesn’t help, with the constant

agitations of politics, communities in peril,

crime, aggression, love, hate, inhumanity;

it can be a terrible burden for no reason other

than being there; even though it’s not in our control.

It’s a headache in the guts,

that stifles, stills and stops any movement.

We persist because we must. We weather it.

We push through. We make it, and it is harder

than you know, so bear with me; it’s a tough realm.