Richard Blanco Highlights Ada Limón's Poetry on WGBH

On Boston Public Radio, Richard Blanco introduces listeners to the poetry of Ada Limón: "I think you'll see a similar theme in all these poems, which is how to find meaning in seeming oblivion," he begins. WGBH's Amanda McGowan provides additional context from there: 

In "The Conditional," for example, the narrator considers a series of apocalyptic worst-case scenarios, like the sun becoming a "foul black tire fire," and yet the poem ends on a hopeful note.

"In some ways, [it's about] surrendering control ... but there's also this idea that life is full of tremendous tragedies and things we can't control, and yet we can control our sense of happiness in some ways too — our sense of fulfillment, our gratitude, and serenity," Blanco said.

Blanco, whose dog passed away recently, was especially drawn to Limón's poem "The Leash," in which a narrator ponders why her dog is so willing to love and trust humans despite all the destruction humanity has wrought on the planet.

"This is so layered, but one of the things with our pets ... [is] we're always in charge of their lives, of how to save them, and can we even save ourselves?" Blanco said.

Read more and tune in at WGBH.