Iambic pentameter - Stress and pressure that students face

To stress and pressure, shadows ever near,

In my mind, you both resound so clear,

Like constant waves that beat upon the pier,

Your darkness and shadows always appear

in my thoughts, it’s your presence I hear,

And every moment, your grip I fear.

Yet outwardly, success is all they see,

My awards, achievements, accolades,

But no one notices your toll on me.

Dear Stress, you've haunted all paths I tread,

A specter, lurking, always by my side.

Each step I take, you hover, like a cloud.

Though nights are silent, your voice won't bide.

When all is calm, your voice is yet so loud.

You fill the silence with the what-ifs, fears,

Lighting up the dark with my past mistakes.

Echoes of my faults ringing in my ears,

Weighing me down till I fear I might break.

With questions, you invade my rest and sleep,

‘Did I do well today? What did I miss?'

Once I dreamt in colors, bold and bright,

Now I only worry, lost in your abyss.

Dear Pressure, how you raise the bar so high,

Each praise, each word, thrusting it to the sky,

On tiptoes, I reach, hoping to comply,

Fearing for the day it gets too high.

You love to tell me the expectations,

Filling me with visions of the world’s

Demanding, constant, watchful gazes,

And their demand for sheer perfection,

Heavier than books, your standards weigh,

Whispers that say, ‘Don't stumble, slip, or sway.’

No room for error in this strict ballet.

Many believe that success is a breeze,

That high grades for ones like me come free.

But they don't feel you two, gnawing at me,

Each honor, though it brightly gleams and shows,

Casts shadows growing, darkness ever flows,

Threatening to eclipse the light it throws.

Though unwelcomed, you’ve taught me not to quit,

Instilled resilience, and unyielding grit,

You’ve pushed me, made me stronger quite a bit,

But I want days without doubts you transmit,

Where friendship outshines competition.

Though you shape my steps, you can't seal my fate,

As I am more than all my anxious states,

And more than all your whispers full of hate.

Soon will come a day, in sun I will stand,

Unchained, unburdened, by your cold demand.

To soar above, as destiny had planned,

For deep down, I know I'm destined to fly.