Caught

The anxiety
Coiled in his head,
Waiting to strike
As soon as he fell back in the bed.

Self-loathing, work stress
And crushing expectations.
Fuel for cataclysmic fears,
Blown up by a toxic imagination.

You learn to cope
Or you descend into cyclical strife.
Battling your thoughts and your feelings
As you lose hope for a meaningful life.

There are medications
And therapists aplenty.
You have to muster the courage
Before you collapse because you’re empty.

© 2022 Jeff E. Brown. All rights reserved.