Who Is Anxiety

Who is anxiety to tell me what to feel? I appreciate a little attention now, it's not that big a deal.. Why must it dictate to me how my body should respond to being the person everyone is focused on? What reason is my heart rate suddenly on a steep incline? I know I'm feeling positive in my conscious mind.. For what is the purpose of this shortening of breath? It's not like being listened to could catch me my death! And why is adrenaline beginning to make my muscles shake? I'm only here to have some fun, there's not a single thing at stake! Sure, my tongue could easily trip over any of the words. Maybe I'll mess up the bit that's most important to be heard. But I don't need to be perfection, I'm only human after all.. And while on the outside I may appear quite small, I'm bigger on the inside, and that's what I want to share. Authenticity is me, so if I fumble a word, why care? So to anxiety I say, 'leave me out of this'. What I'm doing here is none of your business! If I want to share my mind with a group of listeners there's nothing you can do to stop me speaking for all I'm worth. I'll shout it from the rooftops just to make the point real clear that you are not who I am, and I'm enjoying being here. Thank you though, for remembering what I taught you long ago.. But now it's time you learned I'm no longer afraid to make a show. This isn't an eviction, I still need you occasionally. But only to remind me to pay attention, emotionally. So leave me be, please, to bare my soul in front of everyone, because I want to share my poetry, and I've only just begun..