I felt the pressure first behind an eye
and now it’s grown to band my brow again.
I used to think I needed food, or try
more water but I didn’t get it then.
I didn’t see it was my body’s way
to warn that stress was growing out of hand.
I gulped a useless pill. I blared dismay.
And then I took the time to understand.

Sometimes my brain is speedy to a fault.
I fire straight and often can ignore
important shades of view. These headaches halt
that forward march – deflected I explore
my state of current being and address
the angles as I organize my stress.