SLAM!

 

SLAM!

By: Annette Camp

September 2, 2023

There's nothing like

a poetry slam to

relieve your fears.

There are snaps, 

claps, and all 

kinds of things 

to reassure you 

that you are

brave. 

You are not

your anxiety.

Your difficulty.

Your hardship 

or grief.

Your discomfort.

Your distress

or pain.

You can relax

into the thought

of it's ok - 

You, you, are ok.

You are clearly seen

both visibly and

emotionally.

A sigh of relief.

Dating, now, that's

quite the opposite.

There is hope to

alleviate feelings of

isolation and loneliness.

A hope to share

companionship and

a GOOOOD life.

A life worth living.

A life that multiples

the joy and divides

the sorrow.

Then, there's the 

first contact. That

first text, message,

or if you're lucky, 

a face-to-face

meetup.

Going over and 

over in your head

what to say, what

topics to avoid.

Trying on outfit

after outfit. That

first impression to

summarize who

you are.

In this situation too:

fear and anxiety.

Will I be seen?

I only say what

others feel.

Feelings if left 

alone, unpleasantly,

suffocate the life 

from you.

SLAM!