By: Linda M Crate

off screen
i stand
anxious
pacing and pacing
everyone stares
they don’t realize that this
is my natural environment
wish it was just
as simple as
letting it go as i’m constantly
told to do,
but everything just lingers;
every thought and word and comment
swirling around my head and
heart—
no one ever remembers
the things that i do,
and i wish i could say that it doesn’t bother me
but it always does;
one would think they’ve made the memory
with me and that they’d want to
remember it—
but not everyone loves the way i do,
and it’s hard
because when i’m writing and when i’m acting
i am so confident;
but when facing the people i trip over my tongue
make a fool of myself and everyone
just stares at my awkwardness
and social anxiety
pretending they’ve never felt this way.