Kaitlin Shetler
@kaitlinshetler.bsky.social
writes so-so poetry and dorky fanfiction, flaming heretic, unsettling fascination with horror tropes, and fan of a democracy not crumbling into fascism
we may go quiet
for a minute
be bound by fear
or law
or cages
or marriage
or church
or government
censored
and silenced
exiled
and imprisoned
cowed
and shaken
but always
still
never not
human
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #poetrycommunity #america #trump
for a minute
be bound by fear
or law
or cages
or marriage
or church
or government
censored
and silenced
exiled
and imprisoned
cowed
and shaken
but always
still
never not
human
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #poetrycommunity #america #trump
August 12, 2025 at 4:43 AM
we may go quiet
for a minute
be bound by fear
or law
or cages
or marriage
or church
or government
censored
and silenced
exiled
and imprisoned
cowed
and shaken
but always
still
never not
human
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #poetrycommunity #america #trump
for a minute
be bound by fear
or law
or cages
or marriage
or church
or government
censored
and silenced
exiled
and imprisoned
cowed
and shaken
but always
still
never not
human
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #poetrycommunity #america #trump
next month may be hard
next year may be worse
you may lose money and housing and freedom and voting and rights and safety and life
but never dignity
because humanity isn’t given
conquered
dominated
tentative
flimsy
it is elemental
next year may be worse
you may lose money and housing and freedom and voting and rights and safety and life
but never dignity
because humanity isn’t given
conquered
dominated
tentative
flimsy
it is elemental
August 12, 2025 at 4:42 AM
next month may be hard
next year may be worse
you may lose money and housing and freedom and voting and rights and safety and life
but never dignity
because humanity isn’t given
conquered
dominated
tentative
flimsy
it is elemental
next year may be worse
you may lose money and housing and freedom and voting and rights and safety and life
but never dignity
because humanity isn’t given
conquered
dominated
tentative
flimsy
it is elemental
you are part of the path your descendants will walk to find peace
so don’t be too uneven
so don’t be too uneven
August 12, 2025 at 4:41 AM
you are part of the path your descendants will walk to find peace
so don’t be too uneven
so don’t be too uneven
hope doesn’t always spring eternal
but it springs eventually
but it springs eventually
August 12, 2025 at 4:41 AM
hope doesn’t always spring eternal
but it springs eventually
but it springs eventually
you will need to find joy
in hidden corners
a bird’s chirp
a sunflower
another breath
the way like calls to like as you make eye contact during national anthems
in hidden corners
a bird’s chirp
a sunflower
another breath
the way like calls to like as you make eye contact during national anthems
August 12, 2025 at 4:41 AM
you will need to find joy
in hidden corners
a bird’s chirp
a sunflower
another breath
the way like calls to like as you make eye contact during national anthems
in hidden corners
a bird’s chirp
a sunflower
another breath
the way like calls to like as you make eye contact during national anthems
you will need an iron will, a silver tongue, and steel mind
courage for the fighters
compassion for the hiders
strategy for the rest
courage for the fighters
compassion for the hiders
strategy for the rest
August 12, 2025 at 4:40 AM
you will need an iron will, a silver tongue, and steel mind
courage for the fighters
compassion for the hiders
strategy for the rest
courage for the fighters
compassion for the hiders
strategy for the rest
June 4, 2025 at 6:35 AM
and we go to hell
with eyes closed
thinking we were keeping it away
all this time
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #usa #trump #ice #immigration #humanrights
with eyes closed
thinking we were keeping it away
all this time
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #usa #trump #ice #immigration #humanrights
April 7, 2025 at 2:18 PM
and we go to hell
with eyes closed
thinking we were keeping it away
all this time
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #usa #trump #ice #immigration #humanrights
with eyes closed
thinking we were keeping it away
all this time
#poemsfortheresistance #poetry #usa #trump #ice #immigration #humanrights
and like omelas
we thank the stars it’s happening to them
and not us
and like omelas
we accept the evil
to keep it from our doorstep
to keep our third graders in beds with stuffed rabbits
we thank the stars it’s happening to them
and not us
and like omelas
we accept the evil
to keep it from our doorstep
to keep our third graders in beds with stuffed rabbits
April 7, 2025 at 2:18 PM
and like omelas
we thank the stars it’s happening to them
and not us
and like omelas
we accept the evil
to keep it from our doorstep
to keep our third graders in beds with stuffed rabbits
we thank the stars it’s happening to them
and not us
and like omelas
we accept the evil
to keep it from our doorstep
to keep our third graders in beds with stuffed rabbits
there’s a child
there are children
there’s a third grader
in a cage
there are children
there’s a third grader
in a cage
April 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
there’s a child
there are children
there’s a third grader
in a cage
there are children
there’s a third grader
in a cage
and i thank the stars
that’s the reason
and not because she’s held hostage by a country who believes she’s less than human
and i beg forgiveness
that i am relieved
i beg forgiveness
and wonder if that makes me
just as bad
that’s the reason
and not because she’s held hostage by a country who believes she’s less than human
and i beg forgiveness
that i am relieved
i beg forgiveness
and wonder if that makes me
just as bad
April 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
and i thank the stars
that’s the reason
and not because she’s held hostage by a country who believes she’s less than human
and i beg forgiveness
that i am relieved
i beg forgiveness
and wonder if that makes me
just as bad
that’s the reason
and not because she’s held hostage by a country who believes she’s less than human
and i beg forgiveness
that i am relieved
i beg forgiveness
and wonder if that makes me
just as bad
she’s lived nine years
she still believes in santa
she draws cats with wide eyes
and keeps her own eyes wide
she sneaks chocolate chips in her oatmeal
and still watches bluey
she cries because she’s worried about a standardized test
she still believes in santa
she draws cats with wide eyes
and keeps her own eyes wide
she sneaks chocolate chips in her oatmeal
and still watches bluey
she cries because she’s worried about a standardized test
April 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
she’s lived nine years
she still believes in santa
she draws cats with wide eyes
and keeps her own eyes wide
she sneaks chocolate chips in her oatmeal
and still watches bluey
she cries because she’s worried about a standardized test
she still believes in santa
she draws cats with wide eyes
and keeps her own eyes wide
she sneaks chocolate chips in her oatmeal
and still watches bluey
she cries because she’s worried about a standardized test
you can’t care about children
and incarcerate them
you can’t protect children
and disappear them
and incarcerate them
you can’t protect children
and disappear them
April 7, 2025 at 2:16 PM
you can’t care about children
and incarcerate them
you can’t protect children
and disappear them
and incarcerate them
you can’t protect children
and disappear them
and wonder why my third grader goes to sleep in a bed
and their third graders go to sleep on concrete slabs in detention centers with foil blankets in freezing temps guarded by demons instead of humans
i don’t understand it
but i still hug my pillow
and their third graders go to sleep on concrete slabs in detention centers with foil blankets in freezing temps guarded by demons instead of humans
i don’t understand it
but i still hug my pillow
April 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM
and wonder why my third grader goes to sleep in a bed
and their third graders go to sleep on concrete slabs in detention centers with foil blankets in freezing temps guarded by demons instead of humans
i don’t understand it
but i still hug my pillow
and their third graders go to sleep on concrete slabs in detention centers with foil blankets in freezing temps guarded by demons instead of humans
i don’t understand it
but i still hug my pillow
and as a mom
this is what i want for her
and as a mom
this is why i stay awake at night
what i’m hugging my pillow for
what i feel my heart flutter around
what my hands shake about
what my breath hitches behind
this is what i want for her
and as a mom
this is why i stay awake at night
what i’m hugging my pillow for
what i feel my heart flutter around
what my hands shake about
what my breath hitches behind
April 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM
and as a mom
this is what i want for her
and as a mom
this is why i stay awake at night
what i’m hugging my pillow for
what i feel my heart flutter around
what my hands shake about
what my breath hitches behind
this is what i want for her
and as a mom
this is why i stay awake at night
what i’m hugging my pillow for
what i feel my heart flutter around
what my hands shake about
what my breath hitches behind
“if i were president,” she said the other day, “i would make sure everyone was nice”
and when i asked how
she said
“they’d have to be”
it’s her world
this unwavering faith in goodness
because her privilege is hope and a life where she doesn’t know differently
and when i asked how
she said
“they’d have to be”
it’s her world
this unwavering faith in goodness
because her privilege is hope and a life where she doesn’t know differently
April 7, 2025 at 2:14 PM
“if i were president,” she said the other day, “i would make sure everyone was nice”
and when i asked how
she said
“they’d have to be”
it’s her world
this unwavering faith in goodness
because her privilege is hope and a life where she doesn’t know differently
and when i asked how
she said
“they’d have to be”
it’s her world
this unwavering faith in goodness
because her privilege is hope and a life where she doesn’t know differently
and by the time you realize
delayed violence still hurts
the world as you knew it will be gone
but maybe ross and rachel
will still end up together
#poemsfortheresistance
delayed violence still hurts
the world as you knew it will be gone
but maybe ross and rachel
will still end up together
#poemsfortheresistance
April 1, 2025 at 9:58 PM
and by the time you realize
delayed violence still hurts
the world as you knew it will be gone
but maybe ross and rachel
will still end up together
#poemsfortheresistance
delayed violence still hurts
the world as you knew it will be gone
but maybe ross and rachel
will still end up together
#poemsfortheresistance
all deaths are quiet
when ears are covered
all deaths are clean
when eyes are closed
it’s soft because you allow it
it’s gentle because you prefer it
the horrors are muted
when they don’t start with you
when ears are covered
all deaths are clean
when eyes are closed
it’s soft because you allow it
it’s gentle because you prefer it
the horrors are muted
when they don’t start with you
April 1, 2025 at 9:57 PM
all deaths are quiet
when ears are covered
all deaths are clean
when eyes are closed
it’s soft because you allow it
it’s gentle because you prefer it
the horrors are muted
when they don’t start with you
when ears are covered
all deaths are clean
when eyes are closed
it’s soft because you allow it
it’s gentle because you prefer it
the horrors are muted
when they don’t start with you