Angry Women Change The World

I wrote this poem while navigating the justice system - going through court - and every stakeholder: judge, clerk, lawyer, social worker gave me a different version of the law, each convinced that theirs was correct. 

The well-meaning advice from my (wonderful) support system was 'don't make them angry'. And so I didn't. Until I realised that holding back wasn't helping me or anyone else. Until I realised that there wasn't anything wrong with me, that there's something wrong with the system. 

I recently read that we shouldn't be afraid of anger. Anger is like a roadmap, it shows us where our boundaries are. 

- UNTITLED -

Keep quiet – they said.

Don’t be angry.

Don’t piss them off.

So I didn’t

I gulped down my anger

like a fish bone stuck in my throat

that no amount of water could wash down

And I choked down their dismissal

and disbelief

and rejection

of my truth

And I apologised

profusely

before and after

every word I uttered

that made them uncomfortable

And I endured their outbursts

in flinching silence

as their angry stares figuratively

whipped me into submission

yes yes yes

I ground out through clenched teeth

while tears of anger burned down my cheeks

that I hoped they’d interpret

as sadness instead

Because ‘sad’ is what was prescribed

Cry – don’t scream – they said

because if you’re a woman

sadness will get you everywhere

and anger will get you nowhere

But what they don’t know

and what I didn’t know

then…

Is that

Sad Women go nowhere

And Angry Women Change The World

Watch out World.

…LR