#82: A Flurry Of Worry Can Leave You Snowbound (Anxiety)

You Can Take Some Time To Dream
About The Things That Make You Scream,
And Sure Enough, You'll Find They Seem
Much Simpler To Control . . .
As Long As You Can Keep Your Beam
Shining In Their Eyes, They Deem
It Fitting Not To Loose Their Stream
Of Horrors On Your Soul.
The Trouble Is - That Now Your Team
Can't Make It To The Goal.

So, anyone who reads this book
might try, but can't refute,
the crash-bang-boom we suffered through
on more than one commute.

And though some signs surprised us, not
a one was weirder than
a straw man floating through the air . . .
this billboard in his hand.

"Oh ye traveler, make your way
through all the fearsome, farce-foray,
too spooked to move, too scared to stay,
the darkness smothers you!

Oh ye traveler, destiny bent,
if darkness can't, your speed, prevent,
then check your pockets for a cent.
And will you ever make the rent?
Have you lost your back-up tent?
And all your savings have been spent,
while bills are coming due.

Oh ye traveler, who'd endure
disease for which there is no cure,
water, food and air, impure,
and seat belts don't keep you secure
from threats you face upon this tour.
Inside, you know it's true.

Your only option is to sweat,
and think a lot about the threat,
and never take the time to let
your mental gears now grasp and get
a picture of what causes fret,
and why it chases you.

If you don't keep your brain employed
with feelings that are paranoid,
then maybe you might well avoid
the symbols that, though not enjoyed,
and permitting you to stay annoyed,
pretend to be a clue.

Hell, for all you know, you might
get to thinking that you're right,
and confidently trust your sight
enough to think you can decide
what path is good for you.

And you should know that gods are tough
on anyone who thinks he's tough,
believing that he knows enough
to judge a thing or two."

The sign ran on, though I forget
the rest of what it said.
I do recall that Jo got pissed,
and even though we sped . . .

right on past that scarecrow dude,
Jo-Mima chose to yell,
"We ain't worried about your signs.
Shove 'em, and go to Hell!"

And, like I said, we hadn't slowed,
but we felt, just the same,
a little surge of energy
after Jo-Mima's scream.

"You know," I said to my old friend,
"I think your words came out
exactly as we needed them.
Those signs were all about . . .

the reasons for our worries, and
the things we don't achieve,
whenever we start to worrying
and fail, then, to believe."

At that the sky began to clear.
The overcast gave way
to bluer skies, that told us we
had understood okay . . .

the message of the scarecrow's signs.
And then, still running late,
we never slowed, but headed on
toward another State.