Ada Limón, the current US poet laureate, will give a public reading at Emory University on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at 3 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium. Books will be for sale at the reading, with a signing immediately following the event.

The reading, which is open to the public at no charge, is part of the annual Raymond Danowski Poetry Library Reading Series founded by Emory’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library.

Known for her accessible and engaging writing, Limón was named the 24th US poet laureate in July 2022. Her poems often focus on the beauty of nature and how it centers and grounds the soul. Limón is the author of six poetry collections, including her most recent, “The Hurting Kind” (2022), and “The Carrying” (2018), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. Her book “Bright Dead Things” (2015) was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and was nominated for the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Limón’s first book, “Lucky Wreck,” won the Autumn House Poetry Prize in 2005. Her second book, “This Big Fake World,” was the winner of the Pearl Poetry Prize in 2006.

Born and raised in Sonoma, California, Limón, who is Mexican-American, now lives in Lexington, Kentucky. A Guggenheim fellow, she also served until recently as the host of “The Slowdown,” a critically acclaimed poetry podcast and newsletter for American Public Media.

Limón’s visit is sponsored by the Hightower Fund; Emory Libraries and the Rose Library; Emory’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Creative Writing Program; the Decatur Book Festival, and the Michael C. Carlos Museum.

Limón is also the guest poet at the Rose Library’s annual 12th Night Revel fundraiser held the day before, on Friday, Feb. 10, at 6:30 p.m. The gala offers an intimate experience with poetry readings by attendees and personal interaction with the guest poet. Tickets can be purchased at this link. The generosity of donors enables the Rose Library to offer free readings to the public.

Photo credit: Lucas Marquardt

Raymond Danowski Poetry Reading Series: Ada Limón