Ada Limón reappointed as US poet laureate

Sonoma native Ada Limón has been appointed to a second term as U.S. poet laureate and has numerous projects in the works, including a poem for NASA's Europa Clipper mission.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Monday that Limón will serve an additional two years, instead of the traditional one-year term for poet laureates.

“I am beyond honored to serve for another two years as the Poet Laureate of the United States,” Limón said in a statement. “Everywhere I have traveled during my first term, both nationally and internationally, I’ve been reminded that poetry brings people together. I am looking forward to continuing the important work of celebrating what poetry can do.”

On June 1, Limón will unveil her NASA poem, to be engraved on the spacecraft scheduled to explore Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. She is also collaborating with the National Park Service and the Poetry Society of America to present poems at national parks.

Limón, who began her first term last September, has published six poetry collections. Her 2018 release “The Carrying” won the National Book Critics Circle prize for poetry. Limón grew up in Sonoma and lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Previous U.S. laureates include Robert Pinsky, Tracy K. Smith and Joy Harjo.