A Poem by my Niece

Last month, my eldest brother shared a poem he found in his daughter's room with me. He was concerned.

I read the poem. Once, twice--slowly. My niece is 11 years old.

Not being one to take the words in a poem for granted, even if it is a reflection that is based on another person's experience. I made a quick phone call.

My first question after a few niceties was, 'Is there something you'd like to tell me?'

She soon explained that the poem was a reflection of how she felt as she wrote her final examinations. As a young girl moving to grammar school, listening to her parents here-and-now reproach inspired not just fear, but the poem in question.

I believe her fears were valid -- 'What if I fail?' 'Would sharing my fears make me appear lazy or dull?'

Here's the Poem, do enjoy.

WHEN ANXIETY MAKES YOU LOW - Ninuola Verissimo

The whole world is falling down on you,
Nobody knows what you’re going through
Worries control you, your thoughts, your actions, your life.
Questions and queries mess up your mind

They haunt you like night nightmares both day and night.
What will they think? How will I do it? I’ll never do it right.
Can I get through this? Who am I? Why am I here?
These questions are in your mind, and many more creep up your spine.

It kills you inside it murders the happiness in your soul and mind.
When you thought things were going on alright,
it comes, back-stabs you with the knife of depression and sorrow when you’re not looking.
People tell you you’re pessimistic and just too negative

But they don’t understand, they don’t know what it’s like when anxiety makes you low;
it’s like a great big blow and many more hits of sadness to come the flow.
It makes you tearful and you don’t know why.
You shout out for help to get out of this misery but no one hears your cries.

The future makes you fearful, all the worries that you might not breakthrough.
All your efforts of trying to be positive are overcome because anxiety spoils it.
It follows you, a big cloud of sorrow even when you try to move on with your life tomorrow.

When you try to look for peace in your mind, but anxiety makes it pieces.
Control is no longer part of the picture, it’s like anxiety is now in the permanent fixture.
All these things anxiety makes you do, but you must carry on because positivity is calling you
You must stay strong and not go with anxiety’s flow
You must not let anxiety make you low.