we are angry at the grocery store, we rage alone in our financed
automobiles
we are incensed at our inability to control even our own stupid
feelings
our lack of control scares us enough to keep a pistol close beneath
the car seat
we cannot swear, we cannot fight, but our resentment festers
deep inside
mad that we are failures by the glib advertising standards that they
force-feed us
our long sought-after calm shatters in a violent hypertensive
instant
there is conflict in the predawn traffic, we awaken bitter late at
night
heated disagreements brew during the happiest of family celebrations
diners are at each other’s throats while seated at their supposed
leisure
people calmly riding bicycles gesture obscenely at the passing
traffic
there is swearing at the televisions and the opinions on the gonzo
radio
arguments erupt into violence over short walk fast-food parking
slots
family members remain enraged for days over trivia they had forgotten
strangers grow too close, too quickly, in the bonds of instant
violence
workers nurse bitter resentment and smilingly attack each other’s
backs
sweet little mommies command replicas of paramilitary vehicles to
shepherd kiddies
we hate the crowds that we must fight, we hate the fact that we are
sheep
we resent being controlled by faceless, spineless corporate
billionaires
we hate the perfect television roles that we can never hope to play
we despise the weakness and incompetence we perceive within
ourselves
things heat up when we are drinking and domestic violence erupts
children push our buttons and become subjects of hysterical abuse
tax and spenders infuriate us with their godless fuzzy maths and junk
science
so-called conservatives upset us, greedily slashing & burning
everything in sight
fundamentalists rear back with the righteous wrath of god within them
ordinary people reflexively react to the latest gov’t bogeyman
advisory
the middle-aged fume against those who have no cares but still have
beauty
the young despise their worn-out elders but covet their possessions
the crowds are driven like the jews, for everything must be done in a
hurry
the slightest inconvenience and it all goes up in anger and
uncertainty
we break things if they don’t work right and call them dirty names
even sorority girls lay awake nights plotting revenge over a
multitude of slights
retirees rant about the newspaper and then just try to take a few
deep breaths
endless mental replays ensure that we can neither forgive nor forget
we rage about things that do not even affect us and that we
absolutely cannot control
we
raise blood pressure while relaxing with chants
of woulda,
coulda and
shoulda
our children watch us hyperventilate over issues trivial and
unimportant
and wonder why we castigate them when they raise their voices
men often think that killing something would bring them great relief
then, at certain times in our self-reflection we are shamed by what
we see
the blindness and stupidity of other people almost drives us crazy
the more we dwell upon some trivial incident, the angrier we get
our path must be truly trying since we find that we must flail our
docile pets
sometimes a simple stoplight can bring on suicidal regrets
just the sight of neighbors bringing changes to the place we live
might throw us into a state of rage we never truly comprehend
impotent husbands angrily try to control every move their spouses
make
this merely a reaction to the helplessness that they know so well
inside
children lash out at each other even before they learn to walk
when they are just a little older we teach them how to kill for real
surely anger is our natural state since that is how we find ourselves
most often
therefore, heart attacks and strokes must surely be, measures of
enlightenment
our anger must be well inbred, just look at the dogs that we have
created
a Lab will never bite you, but never trust a pit bull
the angry man is a survivor, he kills and then he mates
thusly do his genes live on, but he dies full of violence, hatred
and resentment
getting mad about being so mad is quite maddening in itself
then after anger overflows, there comes this stupid sense of guilt
still, despite our best intentions, we observe ourselves at it once
again
trapped in a damned and miserable cycle, continuous and out of
control
we despise those who are like us and hate those who are different
we resent the strong, revile the weak, and hate the old and
the young, as well
voices on the telephone are quick to grow impatient
misunderstood intentions bring on anger which harms our relations
every day
there are quarrels in the churches, factions struggle in the
government
brothers stand against one other and strangers bond in instant
hatred
attitudes are cultivated with an eye towards antagonism
opinions are expressed with an eye towards spurring conflict
opposing groups are brought together and baited like bulls and bears
deliberate attempts stir up controversy merely to provoke a nasty
spat
we have these wars on poverty and terror that we must all take part
in
and this guerrilla war on science and education that we will surely
win...
politicians often tap into sources of public disaffection
pushing buttons to manipulate opinions and to reap emotional votes
fueling up on caffeine and dissatisfaction we go forth to fight out
our daily lives
late at night the best can only mumble in confusion, sadly asking
for forgiveness
