A New National Anthem

Ada Limón is a contemporary American poet widely admired for her work's confessional approach, authentic emotions, and striking Imagery. “A New National Anthem,” first published by BuzzFeed in 2016, appears in her fourth book of poetry, The Carrying (2018). Like much of Limón’s work, the poem explores broad themes of Identity and Belonging from an autobiographical Point of View.

Limón has published six books of poetry to date. Her work has won a number of awards and honors, including the Autumn House Poetry Prize, the Pearl Poetry Prize, and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. She has received fellowships from the Provincetown Fine Arts Center, the Kentucky Foundation for Women, and the Guggenheim Foundation. Limón is the current Poet Laureate of the United States.

Poet Biography

Ada Limón was born on March 28, 1976, in Sonoma, California. Her grandfather emigrated to the United States from Jalisco, Mexico. Her mother, Stacia Brady, is an artist and painter whose work appears on the covers of several of Limón’s books of poetry. Growing up, Limón says she was highly influenced by the visual arts. She graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in drama in 1998.