Stress

the feeling of a million ants crawling

on your skin for a moment, then a rest,

and once again they march in circles

occasionally biting with a burn

and then relief comes and they are gone

but your stomach churns and you feel sick

a headache starts to roll in like thunder

first in the front, then the back, too

your eyes flash on the inside

and you feel dizzy, too, and your breath

gets choppy, you try to slow it down

breathe deeply, hold the breath,

let it out slowly, slowly, slowly

you catch yourself in a big, soft chair

hoping that it will all stop now

and as you relax, neck, shoulders

your eyes come back into focus

your skin feels cool, the headache eases

and, for the moment, the stress is over