Fresh Air Poet Ada Limón On Writing In Uncertain Times
Oct 6, 2025
Ada Limón, the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate and acclaimed poet, shares her journey through the complexities of human emotion and nature. She discusses her new collection, Startlement, exploring the concept of wonder in poetry. Limón reflects on her two decades of work, the challenges of representing loss and change, and her role as a poet in addressing social and political issues. She emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and connectivity in her craft, revealing how poetry can serve as a powerful response to uncertainty.
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Poetry Is Already Everywhere
- Ada Limón found poetry already present in everyday places like waiting rooms and subway cars.
- She argues people live with poetic impulses even if they don't call themselves poets.
Poem Written For Climate Report
- Limón wrote the poem "Startlement" for the front matter of the Fifth National Climate Assessment after meeting scientists.
- A scientist asked her not to make the poem nostalgic, which shaped its forward-looking message.
Early Poem From Grad School
- Limón read "Centerfold," a poem she wrote in grad school at about 22 or 23 in Sharon Olds's workshop.
- The poem holds both youthful wonder and later recognition of the dangers faced by women.
