Words flying through space and time

We are creatures of constant awe,
curious at beauty, at leaf and blossom,
at grief and pleasure, sun and shadow.

— Ada Limon, “In Praise of Mystery”

It’s one thing to write a poem, and maybe have the bravery to stand up at a student open mic and read it in front of people. Or maybe write a poem, and have the bravery to submit it to a journal in hopes of being published. Or just to write a poem, and give it to the one who resides in your heart.

It is quite another to write a poem and watch it be engraved in your own handwriting onto the Europa satellite, aimed for the moon orbiting Jupiter.

That’s the blessing and burden of Ada Limon, current poet laureate of the United States. “In Praise of Mystery” was commissioned by NASA and will not only fly to Europa, but will be a children’s book available soon.

I had the great privilege not only of hearing the poem read by Limon herself, but hearing her speak and share more of her poetry when she visited my university. She said “In Praise of Mystery” was an enormous challenge, creating “words flying through space and time” and with only the slightest suggestion from the NASA scientists: “Please don’t make it nostalgic.”

“It was the hardest prompt I’ve ever written,” Limon said. “Because how do you speak for yourself, much less the entire planet?”

Limon’s grandfather came from Mexico, and was a major influence on the young poet as she was growing up. He was…