KNOT

Nice depiction of anxiety ... well poeted ...

Thank you, L.

this is a great depiction of anxiety. one i, unfortunately, completely understand. and i've used these words (thought not quite so well) to describe an anxiety attack.

i wonder, though, if you the section about time stopping/freezing could be rephrased. well, just the part about freezing. because you say right before that she doesn't want time to stop because that might mean death. but freezing and stopping are basically the same thing. no? so what if you somehow worded it to be time slowing down.

and she prayed
the clock would stop --
not stop
as that might mean death
but slow down
for a just a moment

Hey, D! Thanks for your comment and suggestion.
I suppose I was thinking of "stop" and a permanent thing, and "freeze" as temporary, as though time could...thaw?  Maybe thaw. I've wished I could freeze time.
But I see what you're saying.  
Excellent comment.
Thank you.

Hey, I would just replace the first "stop" with "pause" - then it becomes less of a sudden contradiction when the second "stop" hits + it will reinforce your use of "freeze" as temporary.

Anyhoo, it causes anxiety in me just reading it!

Thanks, Johnny.
It's an anxious poem for anxious times.
It's amazing how words may have the same basic meaning but different connotations for people. One writes from his perspective, but then the words are filtered through the readers'. I've been surprised by comments that indicated a poem just didn't communicate exactly what I intended. It's good to hear that my poem evoked a little anxiety.
Thanks again, as always, for reading, commenting, and suggesting.
J.

Felt and portrayed Java
how well a moments freeze would let one rest
just enough to unwind
yet so elusive

Greatness here

Thank you, s.
Much appreciated.