In the early stages of our lives,

We’re constantly being readied for the future,

Hearing the tales of hardships,

But not quite listening to the warnings.

Yet nothing can prepare you for what is to come,

You’ll have harrowing tales of your own,

From the days of your transition into adulthood,

The transition into the rest of your life,

Middle school.

Every prerequisite,

My responsibilities,

Every relationship,

My burdens,

My dam was once so strong,

Able to take the most powerful of waves,

Now contains several fissures,

Nearly bursting with the pressure,

It was easy in the beginning,

I could ignore the stress,

I could ignore the pain,

Unaware of the water pooling at my feet,

Ignorance is impossible nowadays,

I have left the shallow ponds I once knew,

Now I have been thrown into the deep end,

Except I don’t know how to swim,

I can’t meet the criteria to move on,

Each fear plagues my thoughts,

Adding to the depth of the sea,

Strengthening the tides,

Intensifying the roaring waves,

The salty water contaminates my eyes,

Blurring my vision,

Blindly wading through the sea,

Questioning my abilities to move forward,

Guidance falls on deaf ears,

For the ocean has filled my head,

Deep breaths will only fill my mouth with water,

Muffling my cries for help,

Silencing my inevitable end.

My mind spirals like a whirlpool,

Eternally spinning till the end,

Rapidly tightening,

Trapping me inside my head,

Mind fuzzy,

Senses numbing,

Eyes bleary,

Lungs filling,

Drowning in my worries,

Drowning in my thoughts,

Drowning in my anxiety,

Drowning in my exhaustion,

Drowning in their expectations.