Skye Oduaran

“Often, it's just a mystery,”said the United States Poet Laureate Ada Limón when asked how a poem gets its start.Limón is the 24th Poet Laureate of the US.She is the first Latina ever to receive the honor. The purpose of the role is to heighten appreciation of the art of poetry.It is the highest recognition for a poet in the US.

Limón's poems are centered on appreciation for life and human connections.Nature and the simple things that take place every day are a chief source of inspiration.“I had a moment when I was listening to the sound of people rolling their trash cans out,”she said. The noise reminded her of the rumble of thunder, which inspired her poem called Dead Stars.

On February 11, Limón shared her poetry at Emory University in Atlanta,Georgia. Afterwards, she signed books and answered questions from members of the audience,which numbered about 1,000.

Instead of writing about the hardships she faces, she looks for common ground.The theme of our shared humanity is woven throughout her poems.“If you're a writer of color, people often ask you to write about your pain. I choose to write about groundhogs(土撥鼠),”she said.

After the presentation, she spoke with a few members of the audience.“They're very detailed, expressive, interesting and calming. They're like dreams you would have,”Irie Mc Garrah,9,said about Limón's poems.

When asked her advice for young people who want to write their own poems,Limón said,“Pay attention to the world around you, and interact with the natural world.”

Reading Check

What's Limón's advice for people who want to write poems?

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