Shelter in Place: Poems in a Time of COVID-19

Shelter in Place: Poems in a Time of COVID-19 is the debut collection by Stanley Kusunoki, a Japanese American teacher whose poignant poems capture the emotional landscape of the first Minnesota lockdown in 2020, spanning from March to May. Written during the first lockdown, Kusunoki’s work delves into the struggles of teaching poetry online, while also addressing the seismic cultural events unfolding, notably the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

Through these poems, Kusunoki invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of the pandemic, offering a raw and intimate portrait of his own journey. The collection meditates on the quiet beauty found in the mundane—whether it’s the simple solace of a solitary walk through the park or the sight of local wildlife foraging for food. Moments of joy, such as performing a sidewalk concert for neighbors, underscore Kusunoki’s belief in the necessity of creative expression as a lifeline for connection in times of existential upheaval. In Shelter in Place, Kusunoki not only captures the challenges of lockdown, but also discovers, and shares, the profound power of small, celebratory acts of community and personal reflection.