Anna Yin
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Anna Yin was Mississauga’s Inaugural Poet Laureate (2015-2017) and has authored five collections of poetry. Her poems/translations have appeared at ARC Poetry, New York Times, China Daily, CBC Radio, World Journal etc.  Anna won the 2005 Ted Plantos Memorial Award, two MARTYs, two scholarships from West Chester University Poetry Conference, three grants from OAC and 2013 Professional Achievement Award from CPAC. She performed her poetry on Parliament Hill and has been featured at 2015 Austin International Poetry Festival and 2017 National poetry month project etc. She teaches Poetry Alive at schools, colleges and libraries. Her website: annapoetry.com

  

Poem writen on 20th April 2020

 

 Serenity

After masks grow popular,

party hats also become necessary.

Different colors, dissimilar styles,

white or black, left or right,

on then off, off then on,

as long as you utter,

out of your own choice,

fervent hands force them upon you.

 

Across WeChat, Facebook and Twitter,

arguments and disputes like mad viruses

take over locally and abroad, day and night:

Chinese medicines versus western treatments,

whistle blowers and open-firing critics,

number games and diplomats sparring,

this world turns ridiculously ugly and noisy.

 

You retreat to your quiet corner of

letters and books.

Turning on a light,

you hold your pen.

No cover smothering,

no hat confining,

an inner world freely open.

Spring is lonely there—

astringent and authentic.