Agoraphobic Emergence

I was trapped in a cage

of my own mind's making.

I couldn't bring myself to be in public.

I couldn't fathom walking outside.

*

One day, I found a mysterious door.

It led to the amazing world of October,

Where leaves of all colors floated to the ground,

Where scents of apple cider enticed me onward.

*

Racks of costumes magically appeared,

Each one more to my liking than the last,

All precisely my size and style.

I chose to be Superman, my childhood hero.

*

There, in October, I had no fear.

I followed the music to a party.

I met others and talked as if it was my norm.

This place gave me a freedom I always longed for.

*

Then, I discovered that the people were real.

October was another of my mind's creations.

A place where I could be anyone without anxiety,

Even the fearless person I had dreamed of becoming.

*

From then on, I could tolerate

The real world in short doses,

As long as I could fool myself

Into thinking I was back in October.

*

Author’s note: Agoraphobia is real and can be crippling and/or isolating.