From the Academy of American Poets:

“The result of a decision made at the UNESCO session in Paris in 1999, March 21 is designated World Poetry Day, a day for cultural organizations, schools, libraries, and publishers worldwide to celebrate the art of poetry. The day is meant to ‘support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities.’ … On this, World Poetry Day, we hope you will please join us by participating in a special new project to offer hope to one another: Shelter in Poems.”

(April is National Poetry Month)

Thee Istsfor Manity National Poetry Month “Shelter in” poem:

The Yahweh Quas Papa speaks: 

I was made for plague times!
For the days weeks months — for the plague year!

It’s the time for auxiliary malarial canons 
and sitars. 

Thee minute for surgical mask missiles 
and tinctures of Ayahuasca. 

It’s time for stockpiled respirators 
and acid-laced fuzz boxes & distortion pedals — 

(Just stay away from the vocoder — don’t put that in your mouth!
They have Pro Tools for that now.)

Spread your misery and pestilence over me,
broadcast it worldwide.

Spread the fusty 1970s ventilators out in an arc
and count the cobwebs on the outtake valves.

It’s the moment for snake oil salesmen &
“teetotalitarianists” & insider stock traders —
and don’t call me a wog because
I take my Viyaya Anand & Asha Bosle on the 45.

Aren’t you glad someone you knew and loved
didn’t live to see this moment?

I am.

“Writing a book is like having an empty pool in the yard and every day going out and throwing in a cup of water to fill it.”
— Behtany Ball