Walking Through the Cafeteria
paranoia sets in
a million ideas hit me at once
sieging my mind
with thoughts hurling
from trebuchets
and catapults
and me without defense
how long does each step take
each painful step
each hurried step
each distracted step
wanting to surrender
wanting to choke on tears
wanting to escape
but I do not
will not
can not
so instead I take another step
a painful step
a hurried step
a distracted step