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Stress

Straight jacket on,
mad arms wrapped tightly.
No wiggle room
to express desperation.
A balancing act
for a stressed mind.
Rivets made of plated metal
hold a solitary position.
Menace to self.
High risk of failure.
Added padding
to emotional space.
Eyes roll, muscle tension,
a bellow forms at the heart,
preparing for the lungs 
to vent the pressure
before blood boils.
The scream
halted at the throat,
lump swallowed hard
like the large pill of stress
forced down dry.
Life is crazy.
A fine line sometimes
between straight jacket
and lucidity.
Location: Jersey City, NJ 07306, USA

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