overwhelmed, under water

reaching for the surface

grasping nothing

another weight pulling down

I try to scream but there’s no sound

pounding, throbbing

swaying back and forth

every noise is a needle

every silence a stab

pulled in a million ways

but never breaking through

it’s all surface-level, nothing new

my skin crawls

my soul aches

the storm billows and shakes

I’m a tree

harrowed by the wind

lightning thunder all strike hollow

I try to speak, my words are swallowed

drowned by the turmoil

both inside and out

nothing truly matters

I cry as they shout

choking back my sobs

I wear stone like armor

unbreakable, I say, but

the cracks betray my lie

water levels rise

sorrow drags me down

they always see me swim

but they never see me drown