They Sneak In Poem by Amy Carr

They sneak in through the back corners of your mind
when attention is diverted elsewhere, usually
in those beautiful shared moments –
curled up on the couch in the crook of his arm like a cat,
listening to the soothing music of his heartbeat and breath –
and pick away at this momentary serenity you’d
stolen from the chaos of life,
replacing it efficiently and completely with
laundry lists of flaws and mistakes and
the myriad reasons all of it’s undeserved.

And before they’re through –
before all the damage is rendered complete –
you are awakened from your peaceful half-sleep!
And made to see these lists, these flaws,
these reasons all laid out before you
clear as day and daunting as K2,
leaving you scrambling for the moment you’d found
like marbles down a hill
and you’re tumbling, falling, careening towards
the sadness you thought you’d left behind.