Shelter (noun): A shielded or safe condition, protection. A place giving temporary protection from weather or danger.

Shelter (verb): To protect or shield from something harmful. To prevent someone from having to do something difficult or unpleasant.

45 has been in power for over a year and a half. Why?

What kinds of shelters have we needed to (re)create and sustain for our survival, our wellbeing, our protection from the vitriol, daily jabs, and real violence?

On the other hand, how many of us have sheltered ourselves in excessive comfort because we don’t want to face what is happening? How many of us have become complacent?

What does it mean to exist in a society where the powerful “shelter” immigrant children apart from their parents? Where the powerful don’t think Puerto Rico deserves shelter? Where the Supreme Court believes bigots can shelter themselves from the existence of gay people? Where 45 shelters himself in the Oval Office, watching Fox News all day, sheltered behind the wall of his twitter feed.

What kinds of revolutionary shelters can we create in our communities out of love, out of lumber, out of words, out of our bodies, out of resistance?

Send up to three poems related to the theme of “Shelter” to brackishdaughters@gmail.com by midnight on July 15^th, 2018.

Varied interpretations of the theme are encouraged. Hybridity is encouraged. You may submit previously published materials if you retain the rights; we’re happy to credit the original publication. Email us if you have any questions.

Contributors will receive three copies of the zine. Additional copies will be for sale online for a small fee.