Anxiety is characterized as worry fear or the feeling of being anxious
But anxiety can be caused by a number of triggers
Anxiety can be heights
Anxiety can be a missed assignment
Or a due date
Anxiety can be over analyzing my speech
Anxiety can be talking too fast
Or too slow
Or not wanting to talk at all even when you’re sitting in class and the teacher just called on you
Anxiety can question if my breath stinks
Even though I definitely brushed 3 times this morning
Anxiety can be a phone call from my mom
Or watching the news and thinking that kid who got shot looks a lot like me
Or thinking the same thing next week
Anxiety can be seeing a cop car
Or hearing about another riot
Or changing sides of the street when I see white people 
It can be thinking I’m not sure who is more scared
Anxiety can be being scared of people who open carry
It can be being uncomfortable when people ask me why I’m not going to college
When I know even with a degree it’s hard for a black man to succeed in this country
Anxiety can be my friends not asking if I’m okay twice
Anxiety can be hating silence
Even though I have sensory overload issues
Anxiety can be not knowing when to end a poem
Scared that I’ll go too far
That I’ll be vulnerable
That I’ll be too soft
Anxiety is the only reason I’m scared to write