Peace after Panic

Peace After Panic

The words I hear but don’t quite know,

they bend my mind like a bow.

I swear I really try to understand,

but it missed the mark,

just as when I throw underhand.

The noise around—a great distraction,

my ears in pain

like a woman in contractions.

My pain disappears as the attention shifts.

Did she ask me a question?

My mind starts to drift.

Deep breaths showing my distress,

I’m truly afraid, I must confess.

I don’t understand this difficult case.

I have to answer,

but my heart starts to race.

I start to get hot, my cheeks turn red.

This is it—

I think I’m going brain-dead.

Here we go, in the middle of class,

I’m falling apart like broken glass.

A tear drips down my flaming cheek.

I try to stay calm

while my brain screams—eek!

I take a deep breath and gather it all.

I decide not to sprint down the hall.

I can do this.

I can fix this issue.

I just might need

a huge tissue.

I’m sure this panic attack is through.

I swallow and say—

the answer to one plus one is two.