Poetry Among the Stars: Poet Laureate Ada Limón to Speak at Cerro Coso March 17
Arching under the night sky inky
with black expansiveness, we point
to the planets we know, we
pin quick wishes on stars.
—Ada Limón, “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa”
Poets are always fans of the stars, according to Poet Laureate Ada Limón. Limón – who will speak at Cerro Coso March 17 – shared her thoughts with NPR in October, shortly before NASA’s Europa Clipper blasted off with one of her poems engraved on the spaceship.
Her 21-line poem “In Praise of Mystery” was commissioned by NASA to accompany the spaceship on its 1.8-billion-mile voyage toward the Jupiter moon.
“I was actually at the Library of Congress when we got the invitation from NASA,” Limón told NPR. “And I have always been a fan of stars. You know, poets are always a fan of stars . . . and planets and moons. And I immediately said yes.”
The poem not only celebrates the connection between earth and space but also implicitly between the arts and sciences – a key concept in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math).
“Cerro Coso’s Career and Technical Education Department is thrilled to offer ‘An evening with Ada Limón,’” said Dean Nicole Griffin. “Her extraordinary body of work including the engraving of her poem on the NASA spaceship makes her the perfect speaker to help CTE celebrate women in STEAM.”
Launching her work among the stars is just one of Limón’s many accomplishments.
She was named the 24th Poet Laureate Consultant for Poetry for 2022-2023 by US Librarian of Congress and is the author of six collections of poetry including “The Carrying,” which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry; “Bright Dead Things,” a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Books Critics Circle Award; “Sharks in the Rivers;” “Lucky Wreck;” and “This Big Fake World.”
Her newest poetry collection, “The Hurting Kind,” was recently published as part of a three-book deal with Milkweed Editions that includes the publication of “Beast: An Anthology of Animal Poems,” featuring work by major poets over the last century, followed by a volume of new and selected poems.
“An Evening with Ada Limón” will be presented by Cerro Coso’s Career and Technical Education Department as part of a Celebration of Women in STEAM. The event is free, but tickets are required and space is limited.
An Evening with Ada Limón
Monday, March 17, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Cerro Coso IWV/Ridgecrest Campus, Lecture Center
General Admission and Parking – FREE
Advance tickets required, space is limited.
Register for tickets (tiny.cc/adalimon)
Photo: Poet Laureate Ada Limón.
Credit: © John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation – used with permission.