I see anger as orange red,
so hot and bright it hurts my head.
I’m very seldom angry,
except for when I’m very hungry;
I just get so frustrated I cry
at injustice and violence. I try
to build up a fire in my belly,
but my heart says no, and I turn to jelly,
and suffer from various digestive quirks;
I’ve tried building to a crescendo – nothing works.
I think I’d explode if I got mad,
furious I might manage, never angry, just sad.
Kim M. Russell, 7th July 2024
Susan is hosting at What’s Going On? this Wednesday with an angry prompt. She has “pulled together a few quotes about anger and one very angry poem” by April Bernard, which I find interesting and evocative. She asks us to write a poem to illuminate a moment or duration of anger. I can’t remember the last time I was angry; I don’t think I have ever really been angry, I’m more likely to be upset or sad, so my poem is a light-hearted look at that.
writing in north norfolk 
“I think I’d explode if I got mad . . . ”
You very well might. I love your last line and your rhyme. Orange feels exactly right! I’ve felt that from time to time.
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Thank you, Susan!
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This is cute, Kim! Is it actually true that you only get angry when you’re hungry? 🙂
~David
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Thank you, David. I do because I’m diabetic and my blood sugar plummets.
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Oh, I see!
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I agree with every word said here, Kim. “never angry, just sad.” This is me, now. But I was different in my younger days; very much fond of anger if I might put it like this. Smiles. Now I have the knowledge that end result of anger is a big zero. It is such a negative emotion.
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Thank you, Sumana, it is negative.
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I just love the light and quirky and yet completely authentic feeling in this poem!
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Thank you!
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I COMPLETELY resonate with your closing line, Kim – my main emotion at the state of the world is grief and sadness, rather than anger. Though I get powerfully frustrated, lol. The orange red of anger makes me think of the wildfires that are burning in my province right now. Sigh.
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I’ve been reading and hearing about wildfires in various places. I think that we will start getting them here eventually.
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It’s so much easier to get angry with an empty belly.
I prefer to avoid anger (good girls smile, no matter what), but sometimes, oops.
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Oh, me too, Nolcha. It’s easy for me, living in a quiet little village. I don’t even get angry when fast swimmers cross into my path in the slow lane at the local swimming pool. I just tread water and smile.
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I used to get so frustrated living in a large city. Now that I live in a small town, treading water is my go-to.
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I believe passion and anger are twins but it is probably healthier to stay a step back from both. Healthier, not necessarily possible… I feel the orange flaring ever so often, these days.
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I agree, Rajani. No more orange flares for me, though.
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You so neatly convey what it feels like to be angry – I like how you describe that anger is a colour and also a physical feeling (and thank you for your comment at mine..may scars forever be a thing of the past) Jae
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Thank you, Jae.
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That last line is a great riddle. I love its twist.
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Thank you!
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You are welcome.
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