*This poem is a villanelle, a French verse form written in nineteen lines and following a specific pattern of two rhymes and an alternating refrain.
My mind won't stop, it's like a runaway train.
I hear the clock keep ticking, yet I'm wide awake.
These midnight thoughts drive me insane.
Overthinking everything that I can't explain.
My regrets are on repeat, I made a big mistake.
My mind won't stop, it's like a runaway train.
The what-ifs hit me harder than the pouring rain.
I try my best to distract myself for my own sake.
These midnight thoughts drive me insane.
I replay moments in my head again and again.
My endless loop of stupid thoughts just won’t break.
My mind won't stop, it's like a runaway train.
The silence grows louder, and I feel the strain.
I wish I could fix the messes I make.
These midnight thoughts drive me insane.
The stars fade to nothing, but they still remain.
The spiral continues; constant anxiety I just can’t shake.
My mind won't stop, it's like a runaway train.
These midnight thoughts drive me insane.
Eshal Farhatullah is finishing up her sophomore year at Pembroke Pines Charter High School. Passionate about poetry, she explores themes of anxiety and overthinking in her villanelle “Runaway Thoughts.” Through rhythmic repetition, her work captures the restless cycle of midnight worries and regret. This piece reflects her interest in mental health and self-reflection in writing.
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