Poetry carries universal themes and messages, and “Anxiety” is one with which we can all relate. At some point in life, we find ourselves in a situation that brings on that feeling of panic, and Tara Davis captures this emotion as though we were in that moment now:

Anxiety

by Tara Davis

i bite the inside of my gum
i grit my teeth
i pop my knuckles
and my lungs
they feel like fire.

i can’t breathe

i don’t wanna make eye contact
not with you.
not with anyone.
i chew my gum
and hope you don’t hear the little voices
in my head telling me to slow down
but i can’t.

everything’s in fast motion,

expecting me to use all those
seconds in a minute
to try and get out my words but
all i can say is “ um.. uh.. um..”

speak.
say something.

Tara Davis is a 7th grade student at Sunnyvale Middle School. As an ELA Honors student, she brings unique insights into our class, and I enjoy seeing her efforts pay off with strong final products like this poem. – Ms. Angela Henderson