Before the Storm

Hands tremble lightly, cold sweat on my brow,

I grip the cart tightly, the world’s closing down.

Fingers twitch, curling like autumn leaves fall,

breath quickens like sirens, I hear the call.

In the cereal aisle, everything’s too bright,

colors swirl together, my vision takes flight.

A weight on my chest, the hum of the air,

a rush of the moment, too heavy to bear.

I fight the retreat that’s creeping in fast,

this wall closing in, a future amassed.

Yet here in this panic, I search for a way,

to breathe through the tremors, to stay for today.