Anger

It was the day after our school wide service project. Our senior class had just returned from a day of hard work in the sun and was eating a well-earned lunch. I was sitting at a table, laughing with my friends until a woman stopped my happiness with a few short words. Through a blur of tears, I wrote this poem for her and for anyone plagued with anger. Stay strong!

The harsh roar of deafening waves crashes in my ears

I cannot hear anything over the quick throbbing of my heart

Red clouds my vision and my hands curl into fists

How can one word cause all this?

I can almost remember,

Another time, another place

Was it just minutes ago?

Laughter

Smiles

Lifting damp hair and pressing ice packs to our cheeks

But here, now

Standing in the blissfully cool room

Hearing nothing but my pounding thoughts

Feeling nothing but my nails digging into my skin

One word

For this

But a prick of light shines through the blood red

Closer and closer

Filling my chest with air

Relaxing me

I breathe in deeply

And laugh

I laugh in the face of adversity

Watching her swallow her hurtful words and take a step back

I reach up and touch the trees, the sky, a mountain

But then I’m back

Tears prick my eyes

And I turn and walk away