Thought maybe this might help someone.
Anxiety is a desperate child, the daughter of Abuse and Cruelty.
She lies awake at night, listening and worrying.
Anxiety waits to hear their angry voices.
Sleep eludes Anxiety, lying on her bed worrying.
She wishes that she could never be angry.
She worries about how she looks. She feels ugly.
When she finally dozes, there is no escape from her fears.
In her nightmares, Anxiety frantically tries to flee the terrors.
Sometimes Anxiety sneaks out of bed at dawn and tiptoes through the house.
Dusting and polishing the furnitire, straightening the bookshelves;
she hopes to win the praise of Abuse.
Anxiety runs out into the morning dew, picking wildflowers for Abuse.
Placing tiny bouquets wherever she has cleaned,
Anxiety writes little notes to Abuse,
from the "Good Fairies" whom she pretends did the cleaning.
Anxiety is a terrified child, running home from school.
Darting into the bushes upon the sound of an approaching car,
afraid that some- one will kidnap her.
Anxiety is a pale asthmatic child, chronically
ill and prone to accidents.
When Cruelty slaps Anxiety across the face,
Grandma says Anxiety must learn to talk quietly.
Grandma says that Cruelty doesn't mean to hurt Anxiety,
"He just doesn't know his own strength, he's such a big man."
Anxiety promises to be quieter, filled with shame that she has been too loud.
The salt of her tears stings the welts on her cheek,
forever leaving the hand-print of Cruelty on her soul.
Anxiety is a desperate child.
© 1997, Pamela Osmus, used with permission
Anxiety
She lies awake at night, listening and worrying.
Anxiety waits to hear their angry voices.
She wishes that she could never be angry.
She worries about how she looks. She feels ugly.
When she finally dozes, there is no escape from her fears.
In her nightmares, Anxiety frantically tries to flee the terrors.
Dusting and polishing the furnitire, straightening the bookshelves;
she hopes to win the praise of Abuse.
Placing tiny bouquets wherever she has cleaned,
Anxiety writes little notes to Abuse,
from the "Good Fairies" whom she pretends did the cleaning.
Darting into the bushes upon the sound of an approaching car,
afraid that some- one will kidnap her.
Anxiety is a pale asthmatic child, chronically
ill and prone to accidents.
Grandma says Anxiety must learn to talk quietly.
Grandma says that Cruelty doesn't mean to hurt Anxiety,
"He just doesn't know his own strength, he's such a big man."
Anxiety promises to be quieter, filled with shame that she has been too loud.
The salt of her tears stings the welts on her cheek,
forever leaving the hand-print of Cruelty on her soul.
Anxiety is a desperate child.
Lisa
