Navigating Silent Anger

My anger is silent 

My anger is the tree that fell where no one was 

So if it was never witnessed 

It was never really heard 

My anger whispers bad ideas until they sound like the only option 

My anger doesn’t ask questions 

She’s judge jury executioner 

And doesn’t wait to hear the witness statement 

My anger is sometimes my favorite part of me 

And sometimes my anger is the only one that stands up for me 

My anger is sensitive 

So I walk on eggshells around her

While she does kart wheels from my conscious to my heart 

My anger has been through a lot 

My anger is the kid whose dad went to the store for milk three years ago 

My anger watched my mother cry and my father leave 

And continued to be there every time I was abandoned by someone else 

My anger is strong 

Like really strong 

But she’s the only mess I won’t let my ocd clean up 

And she’s the only kryptonite against my tears 

So don’t come for her 

Don’t you judge her 

And don’t blame her for the ways she reacts to the plot lines this world love to write 

My anger has built her own personality within me 

And presented her to the group 

We’ve accepted her as a member 

I’d introduce you to my anger 

But… to be honest 

She already doesn’t like you 

- Laika Bertrand

Anger is a powerful force. Like any other emotion, it has its ways of overpowering you. For some people, anger isn’t loud or explosive. Anger whispers until it's the only voice you know how to pay attention to. Emotions like anger are signals, messengers telling us something important about our experiences, our boundaries, and our needs. Yet, in a society that often labels anger as “bad” or “dangerous,” many of us are taught to suppress it. Historically, Black anger has often been misunderstood or feared. People and actions like the Black Panthers, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Black Lives Matter Movement were labeled as “aggressive” or “unwarranted.” No matter how peaceful or how loud for justice African Americans have been in the past, their pain was unrecognized as their anger was criticized. Resilience, though, is pushing through obstacles designed to break you. Malcolm X once said, “When they are angry, they bring about change.” Suppressing or ignoring your anger doesn’t benefit you nor your community. We often hear the idea, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, did it make a sound? Philosophically, it explores your perception of reality. To some, if no one is there to witness it, it doesn't exist. We often display this theory in our own emotions. If I ignore it, then it doesn't exist. If I don't give it life, then it's not real. This idea only works for some time. Anger lingers, building pressure, manifesting in our minds and bodies in ways we might not realize. Over time, repressed anger can turn into resentment, stress, anxiety, or even depression. Silent anger, when suppressed constantly, doesn’t demand attention at first. Then it starts to impact your lives in subtle ways. It continues to grow, noticeably, and then suddenly it changes how you view the world and others. It alters your mental health and your sense of identity. Who are you when your anger controls your thoughts, emotions, and actions behind the scenes? It can become your puppet master, and without realizing it, you're now the puppet.

When anger stays hidden, it can feel like your judge, jury, and executioner. Being the one in charge, it can dispense reactions before we even recognize our feelings. “My anger whispers bad ideas until they sound like the only option.” Internalized anger can distort thoughts and perceptions. The silent anger becomes not just a response but a coping mechanism, a layer of defense against hurt and vulnerability. Emotions like anger aren’t meant to be hidden away, they’re meant to be acknowledged. “My anger has been through a lot; My anger is the kid whose dad went to the store for milk three years ago; My anger watched my mother cry and my father leave.” When dealing with traumatic experiences or suppressed past moments, it is always recommended to open up. Talk about it, acknowledge your past, accept it for what it was, and move into the process of healing. Allowing ourselves to feel our anger, without judging ourselves, is the same as processing and healing from traumatic past experiences. You don’t have to act on your anger or let it dictate your choices, but you do need to give it space to exist; because when a tree falls in the forest, even if no one is around to hear it, it still makes a sound. Being aware of anger means sitting with it long enough to understand what’s fueling it. Has a boundary of mine been crossed? Am I feeling unheard or undervalued? When we listen to anger rather than push it away, it can reveal what's going on internally that needs our attention.

Accepting and understanding anger is crucial. Poetry is the way I give life to my emotions, to my anger. I give it its own personality and allow it to express itself. Acknowledging that anger isn’t inherently destructive. When handled with patience and care, anger can be a source of resilience and sometimes a poem that people can relate to. Navigating silent anger means creating space to feel, process, and respond in ways that don’t just suppress emotion, but allow you to understand what it’s truly trying to project and protect. Embracing anger as a part of your personal emotion team, have you ever seen Inside Out? Don’t treat it as an enemy, but as an emotion helping you to open your eyes to your inner thoughts and feelings. In many ways, anger can be an ally, the only part of you that speaks up when no one else will. It’s protective, fierce, and as much a part of you as any other emotion. When we walk on eggshells around it, afraid of what it might say or act, it can create an internal tension that feeds into mental health struggles; and those tensions are not for you to bear. Recognizing the roots of anger, such as abandonment, hurt, or unspoken pain, allows you to transform anger from an unstoppable force into an advocate that reminds you of your self awareness, growth, and strength.

“My anger has built her own personality within me; And presented her to the group; We’ve accepted her as a member.” Give your anger space within you; not to take over, but to be itself fully and then to calm into mindfulness. Giving it space is an act of self-compassion. Do you ever feel like you need a break from self criticism? Instead of viewing anger as an enemy, see it as a part of your humanity; because it is a valid response to a world that isn’t always fair or kind. Once you’ve fully respected your anger for what it is and what it has gone through, it's easier to let it be and then let it go. Don’t confuse letting go with moving on or ignoring. Letting go means fully accepting your experiences as they were, without wishing to change them, and learning to limit the hold they have on your anger. You can release anger when you acknowledge that you’ve heard it, learned from it, and are willing to move forward with clarity.

Honor your feelings without letting them define you. Remember silent anger, the one that builds up quietly until it's boiling over, is not one you want to keep around. Give anger its well deserved attention. Listen to it, respect it, accept it, and heal. Anger is not yours to carry and you are always in control. Don’t be the puppet, be the master. If Black anger, when respected, can act as a force to challenge injustices, raise awareness, and advocate for equality and respect, then respecting your own anger can bring about peace and healing in your own life.