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What if? The Defeat of the Rising Dread

What if 
eight-years-old again
playing soccer.
Sweaty and red-faced.
Eating orange crackers 
with cheese. 
Can I eat orange crackers
with cheese
today? 
The rising dread says 
NO
not healthy.

What if 
nine-years-old again
running outside 
to Nawney’s
prehistoric freezer 
after dinner. 
Selecting a Blue Bell ice cream 
pint and running back 
into her house, 
digging in with a spoon 
enjoying every morsel.
And today? 
The rising dread says 
NO
eat out of the pint 
and lose control. 

What if 
ten-years-old again
feeling excited for poptarts.
The crinkly noise as I peel packaging off,
place the treats in the toaster, 
bite into their crunchy crust, 
burning my tongue on the jam.
Will I bite into
poptarts today? 
The rising dread says
NO
stay clear.

What if
chocolate milk cartons
fried popcorn shrimp
blueberry cheesecake muffins
Chicago-style stuffed crust pizza
were no longer
Threatening.

What if 
twenty-one-years-old now
food had no 
morals?

What if
I instead listen
to truth
and defeat
the rising dread?

A sunshine enthusiast and aspiring dietitian, Hannah Rose is a college student who thrives most in forging deep one-on-one connections. Listening to people’s stories and seeking out truth are where her passions lie. You can most often find her engaging her creative space by inventing new recipes or playing with mixed media art.