Invisible hands
Always grabbing, always pulling.
Scratching and harming.
No remorse.
When you talk too loud in class,
Or even try to think of an answer.
Invisible hands,
Emotions,
Anxiety.
Shakey breathes and glazed eyes.
Broken ribs and shattered hearts.
Bruises and wounds.
Invisible hands,
Squeezing your sides and waist,
Making it hard to breathe and think.
It’s harder to move and function.
Invisible hands are everywhere,
Waiting for you to mess up,
Make a mistake.
They’ll punish you,
Hurt you,
Discipline you until they can without permission.
Poetry
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Your imagery is really hard at work here. I can see the hands representing anxiety or the echoes of abuse, but in all cases it’s a very good metaphor! The looming presence of the hands’ actions throughout your poem as you describe stressful situations in everyday life make them feel like they’re almost real.