The pet of dread is back,

Seemingly out of nowhere,

But I always know it lurks,

waiting for its moment

 

It pounces suddenly,

out of a good day,

Creeping inside and twisting,

Making doubts rise up again
Did I do the right thing?

Was something overlooked?

My concience berates me,

continually uncertain.
My memories their whipping post

On which to sharpen the guilt

Did I? Didn’t I?

Will I? Won’t I?
Even if I checked all the boxes,

Dotted all the i’s and signed 

Every x, I wonder

Was something was left undone?
I try to calm it with soft words,

Reassurances and reason,

But it doesn’t understand,

Instead pacing the perimeter
It sits on my chest, a small rumble,

the purr of a feral beast

finite within the cage

of my worry
It slowly falls asleep,

Full on the meal of doubt and worry

It rolls over and becomes silent

Until the next time.