I am Fear

Who lives in the shadows of confidence

Who sees the light but stays in the darkness

Behind the paint on the quiet walls

The feeling when my heart pounds like a prisoner in a cage

The heavy sweat weighing me down

The fear my gut feels when something goes wrong

Who lives in the shadows of broken glass

In echoes of a shattered past…

Who hopes that the monster in my mind leaves me

The darkness is all I think about

Is the monster just me?

What if I lose!

What if I’m already losing!

I am fear

--Viraaj N., 9th-12th Grade