This is one of my favorite pieces-inspired by Francis Bacon’s screaming popes. It was created during a time in which I was learning the value of emotion indiscriminately. For the first time, I felt like it was safe to explore my anger. In therapy, I was often encouraged to remain curious. I therefore began to welcome the anger, as opposed to hurrying it on or avoiding it. I learned that anger is a beholder of deep insight. I’ve also learned that a perceived disturbance with an external condition or person is oftentimes a reflection of inner work begging to be done. It would be energetically wasteful to will another person to behave in a manner conducive to my level of comfort. What I can instead impact is my reaction, or lack there of, to the trigger.

Dr. Gabor Mate said, ‘When I am sharply judgmental of any other person, it’s because I sense or see reflected in them some aspect of myself that I don’t want to acknowledge.”

I wrote a poem about it:

Sit in it

The Pain

scream

until your esophagus swells

barely allowing air in

as if your lungs have been impaled

Choke

On tears of hair oil, genetic make up and dirt

Squint in utter agony

as sweat bleeds into your eyes

and your beliefs hang out to dry

I used to self medicate at the hint of anger. I’ve begun welcoming