Anxiety | Teen Ink

Anxiety

September 16, 2023
By AMAlie20282009 BRONZE, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
AMAlie20282009 BRONZE, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Trapped deep, deep in my skin.

It feels like every time I turn in an assignment it will just be thrown in the bin.

All these problems, what do they mean?

The MCAS are coming, not prepared for the scene.

My future is close, my future is far,

and I can't do anything to be up to par.

I can't go to sleep, stay up every night,

up past 11 from a never ending fright.

Best friend left, felt alone and insecure.

On the road of life but I'm takin a detour.

It feels like I'm crying deep, deep inside.

Is there no place from this anxiety that I can hide?

 

I can't help but freak over every little thing I see,

Oh anxiety look what you've done to me.

I'm a mess of colors I'll just scribble together,

sometimes it feels like I'll just be trapped in this dark place forever.

I have to get out of this shrinking, threatening little cage,

when I fail why can't I just turn the insane little page?

I see the light and I'm runnin’ to the good side,

but the darkness follows and it won't let me hide.

I must find the code so I can leave this escape-room,

my friends are helpin’ so I can abandon this gloom.

I worry about everything that I can't be,

oh anxiety look what you've done to me!

 

I put pressure on myself,

make myself unsure.

I have a privileged life,

just some anxiety I must endure.

I love all I have and the life I was given,

but sometimes my own anxiety just won't leave me alone, no matter how bad I'm wishin’.

I know it's all just in my head,

but I can't help but stress over every little thing said.

It looks like everything around me is in my control,

but really my life is a spiraling storm out of control.

And all my problems are like a giant wave,

and the ground beneath it is about to cave.

 

I can't help but freak over every little thing I see,

Oh anxiety look what you've done to me.

I'm a mess of colors I'll just scribbled together,

sometimes it feels like I'll just be trapped in this dark place forever.

I have to get out of this shrinking, threatening little cage,

when I fall why can't I just turn the insane little page?

I see the light and I'm runnin” to the good side,

but the darkness follows and it won't let me hide.

I must find the code so I can leave this escape-room,

my friends are helpin’ so I can abandon this gloom.

I worry about everything that I can't be,

Oh anxiety look what you've done to me!

 

I scream “leave me alone”

and it refuses, it's course set in stone.

They say “go outside, enjoy your life while you can“,

is it wrong that I'm so busy that I spend all my time makin’ a plan?

Feel overwhelmed, push stress on myself,

but my teachers give advice and offer me their help.

Got three tests and a project due,

dread it when I hear I have somethin’ new.

It seems like I got work piled miles high,

yet someone always comes up with somethin’ more on the fly.

But I know for a fact that all this is just in my head,

and at the end of the nightmare I'm still just lyin’ in my bed.

 

I see so many things that make me want to flee,

but I'm not going to let this anxiety rule over me.

My mind is a canvas and I'm just a mess of brown,

but I can separate these colors to show a wonderful gown.

I'll get out of this little cage I see

cause I'm gonna forget my worries and make the key.

I see the tunnel and the wonderful light,

and I know I'll make it there no matter the fight.

‘Cause at the end of the day there's a strong light,

so I know that even in dark times I will always be all right.

I'll do my best, try my limits and be what I can be,

this anxiety is no longer gonna rule over this new me.


The author's comments:

My 6th grade year was the first time I recognized the stress and anxiety school can cause in students. I specifically recall getting an excessive amount of homework for ELA, to the point where I had anxiety attacks about it. I was also a good student, but I found that there were times when I would beg my mom not to go to school. I was also going through some struggles with my best friend at the time, who had chosen popularity over our friendship, some anxiety arising from that. Although the year was stressful, the ELA teacher was still amazing and taught me a lot. My favorite unit we did was a poetry unit, where I realized how much I enjoyed this type of literature for being able to express deep meanings and stories in very few words. Our final project for the unit was to make visual representations, or a slam poem with a cover and a back. I chose to write the slam poem, and I made it about the anxiety the class was giving me. However, I also included a final part expressing how there is light at the end of the tunnel and I, or anyone else struggling with stress and anxiety, will get through it. I did end up getting through it, making a new best friend, forgiving my old best friend, and learning to manage my time better. This poem is just an expression of the anxiety students face, and a reminder to them that they will overcome it.


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