Many sleepless nights ago,

As I pondered by the sea,

A dreadful feeling fluttered forth

And settled deep within me.

It felt as though my heart had stopped

and a weight had now been found.

I feel it sinking deeper still,

Like a chain nailed to the ground.

I know not where it came from,

Nor if it will go.

I only know what I can see:

A long and empty road.

The grass is green on either side,

But where I walk it withers.

Upon the path before my eyes

Is where this feeling slithers.

I travel down this lonely road

Every day and every night.

Hoping that maybe someday

I may finally reach the light.

But I grow old and tired,

And my faith wears ever thin.

I fear I'll never reach the sun,

And the weight will cave me in.

My time is almost over;

I can feel it running out.

Every step is another tick-

And of seconds, I have long lost count.

If ever you are lost,

Or walk the withered road,

Carry on and stand your ground-

You will find your way back home.

But do not search for me;

Already, I am long gone.

By the time you have finished reading this,

I will surely have passed on.

And if you are still reading,

Then listen carefully.

I left this note behind for you,

A message to you from me:

Carry your weight until the morning-

You are stronger than you believe.

I no longer walk the withered road.

Do not follow; I am free.

_____________________________________________________________________

I originally wrote this a few months ago as a reddit post in an OC poetry community, but it was buried under other submissions and never really got much attention, so I've decided to post it here and see what people think. I feel like some parts are maybe a bit too "cliche" or could be worded differently, but overall I'm proud of it. If you're reading this, please leave a comment with your thoughts- I'd like to know what you think.

Thanks for reading!