33 WAYS TO CURE ANXIETY

shrink
kiss the back of the DVD
hopscotch over scars, press the play button
and shove your whole body up against the static

watch as the clouds drift out of the screen
smile when quicksand swallows your feet
sift through the mud until it becomes
the warmth of your little cousin

grab his hand and refuse to let go
pluck out a strand of your sister’s hair
tie him to your waist so that you don’t fall
and climb down the pages of your bookshelf

plug your nostrils, do a swan dive into the dust
swim around backwards inside of the carpet
reach for crumbs as ants drag you under
and sink through the dirt

grip onto flowers that grow in the floor
hide the hilt of the blade from the huntsman
flee through the forest, take hold of your skirt
and battle your way past the haunted sycamores

bite down on the stick, laugh to light up the torch
discover what’s hiding in the depths of the cave
step into the skin of your own reflection
and scavenge around for treasure

when you find yourself in the eclipse
swallow the shadows that fall on your face
don’t try to run when the plane hits the ocean
grab some utensils and chew on the wreckage

rip your arms from their sockets
and accept the embrace
close your eyes
breathe

WARNING
(FOLLOW WITH CAUTION!)
SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE:
IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEM
A SENSE OF FULFILLMENT
AND A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE
IN SEVERE CASES
THIS MAY EVEN LEAD TO
FEELINGS OF HAPPINESS

Maximus Allen is an actor and a writer from a small town in Mississippi. He is a current junior at the University of Southern California studying Theatre and English. His latest acting credit was a leading role in the short film “The Night I Learned How to Dance.” As for his writing, his short story “Hiding in Habitats” was recently published in Lighter Magazine, and a collection of his poems can be found in PRESENCE, an artists’ book which he co-authored. Through his work, Maximus aims to explore the identity of himself and others. He wants to provoke, interrogate, and inspire his audience with authentic portrayals of the human condition, whether that’s through performance or the written word. You can follow Maximus on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.