singing in front of strangers terrifies me to no end, I battle my runaway heartbeats as they fly and thud against my glass chest; I feel the blood flush hot and livid through my limbs & search for cool pillow sides to chill my cheeks, wondering why the only sounds I make whine, how the mind can be infinitely stronger than the body how fear can run through programmed behavior why telling myself "you wont die" is never enough to quell my aching nervesโphobia is the unswallowable lump in my throat, the inexplainable fight or flight, the "no" whispered in every language to my gullible musclesโone day I will sever the fear at its root and enjoy the fruits of my own liberation.