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!
