The words hang heavy, laced with dread,
“I need to talk,” a sentence said.
For one with worries, ever churning,
Those simple words, like sirens burning.

The mind, a battlefield of “what ifs”,
Imagined scenarios, sharp like cliffs.
Is it anger? Is it news of pain?
Will the ground beneath them shift, like rain?

They crave to trust, to let you in,
But anxious whispers, filled with sin,
“They’ll judge, they’ll blame, they won’t understand,”
The voice of fear, a cruel command.

But take a breath, and hold it near,
With gentle words, dispel their fear.
“I’m here to listen, no need to rush,
Just tell me what weighs heavy, like a hush.”

For in that space, of open ears,
May bloom a solace, quell their fears.
Let them know, they’re not alone,
And with each word, a seed is sown.

A seed of hope, of empathy,
That they are seen, authentically.
So when they say, “I need to talk,”
Respond with kindness, on this fragile walk.