Poets logo

Don't Panic

The Essence of Calm

By Nicole Higginbotham-HoguePublished 2 days ago 1 min read
Don't Panic
Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

It washes over me like a scouring rag

The beeps and rings nag

On my ears and the tears on the other end

Don't pretend to be anything but a constant cortisol eruption

And a silent corner in the abrupt moment

Can make a difference with the fatigue component

But it doesn't solve it all

There's still the rush as the heart pumps my blood faster into its valves

The oxygen strained by the panic and I try to suck breath into my mouth

And the anticipation creates a small precipitation across my brow

I never really know how to dive into these situations or how

To solve them as usually there is no straightforward way

So I pretend I'm okay and do my best

Letting the stress

Slide to the back

While I do what I can

To stay on track

artFirst DraftFor Funslam poetryStream of Consciousnesssurreal poetry

About the Creator

Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue

Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue is a Midwest-based author known for her captivating lesbian romance novels, compelling mysteries, and heart-pounding thrillers. To find out more, visit: http://www.nicolehigginbothamhogue.com

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments (1)

Sign in to comment
  • Gabriel Shames2 days ago

    Brilliant! Caught my eye with the title - which could be referencing something else (if you know, you know) - but though it was completely different, love the insight

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2026 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.