You feel this constant pressure to perform –
And not just act in some established way
But practice forking lightning in a storm
Or saying that which no one else could say.
It builds up like a logjam in your chest
And makes the easy feat of breathing hard.
It’s like the visit of an unsought guest,
Which means you must be always on your guard.
And it’s no use to tell yourself, “Relax!
There’s nothing in the world that you need fear.”
You’ve suffered one too many such attacks
To ever take your ease so long you’re here.
There’s really nothing left for you to do;
You might as well get used to being you.
Photo by Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash
Expectations
