My Demon My demons name is anxiety A villain that many will know But where you, dear reader, may tame it I cower in fear of it so It keeps me from sleep and from waking It plunders my memory and smiles It saps my energy and willing It clouds and confuses my mind Its irrational behaviour confounds me Mercy, please stop, it’s absurd Embarrassment so often rules me Before I have uttered a word And it angers me profoundly As I know of this demon so well Yet in spite of this, still it controls me This compulsion I cannot expel My defenses are slight and defective And my only recourse at times Is to gladden my heart with belongings The effect of which too soon subsides There’s a numbness that often surrounds me My experiences seem but a dream And then panic denies me a footing Like I’m drowning in something not seen The intrinsic sadness resulting In myself, and my loved ones I’m sure I’m hoping will one day be banished And be something I’ll no longer endure I long to be left to myself, but once left To be surrounded by family or friends I long to be able to laugh and converse With others unknown to me then Therapy’s been disappointing My plight seems to be nothing to them Six months and still zero progress Seems pointless but I’ll just not give in So I ask of all those that may know me Be mindful of the issues inside Don’t judge my lacking responses My affliction is crippling at times Roy Allen Nov. 2010