It’s there as the day begins, telling me I’m already late, saying I should’ve done more before I ran out of time, like I missed something earlier, something I can’t go back and find. It keeps a list I never wrote, things wrong and things I missed. Pulls it out without warning, mostly on quiet days. Even when nothing’s happening, it still goes on. I’m too hard on me. I don’t know how to stop. I’m too hard on me, and it doesn’t let up. I’m too hard on me, even when I’m still. I’m too hard on me, and it always will. Tried to ignore it for a while, turned the noise down in my head, left space between thoughts, tried not to follow what it said. But it finds a way back in through the things left unsaid. It changes shape a little bit, but it always sounds the same. Finds a way to point it back, like I’m the one to blame. Even small things feel bigger when it calls my name. I’m too hard on me, even when I slow it down. I’m too hard on me, even with no one around. I’m too hard on me, even when I let things be. I’m too hard on me, and it stays with me. It’s quieter late at night, but it never goes away. Doesn’t say it quite as loud, but it doesn’t really leave. I don’t say anything back, I just sit with it and breathe. I just sit with it and breathe.