Ada Limón

Ada Limón is the author of five books of poetry, including The Carrying, which won a National Book Critics Circle Award. She’s originally from Sonoma, California, and lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Excerpt: ‘Startlement’

Read the poem “On Earth As It Is On Earth” from Ada Limón’s Startlement: New and Selected Poems, the California Book Club’s November selection.

Oct 21, 2025

poet ada limón sits on a desk in front of bookshelves in her california home, smiling in a floral blouse, sunlight glowing through the window behind her.

Why I Write: Toward Belonging

From her California hometown, Ada Limón reflects on poetry, memory, and belonging—writing as a way to connect, to remember, and to truly exist.

Sep 19, 2025

Poem: Calling Things What They Are

Inspired by nature, Sonoma native Ada Limón gets honest with herself.

Jun 2, 2021

Poem: The First Lesson

In one of three poems published in Alta’s Spring 2021 issue, Ada Limón learns to watch closely.

May 20, 2021

Poem: Stillwater Cove

Ada Limón captures the agonizing wait atop coastal cliffs to catch a glimpse of the elusive whale.

May 6, 2021

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