The Leash

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2018

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Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Further Reading & Resources

Related Poems

“Late Summer after a Panic Attack“ by Ada Limón (2018)

This poem appeared in the same collection as “The Leash” and shares its focus on storytelling and strong personal voice. Vivid nature imagery is used to bridge the interiority of the poet’s body and mind with the external stimuli from the environment. Like other poems in The Carrying, this selection melds the personal and the political.

“Poem in Which I Become Wolverine“ by José Olivarez (2018)

Olivarez’s poem expresses the emotions, outrage, and certainty experienced by the poor, the targets of ICE, and those oppressed by the lies of politicians, the media, and their complacent enablers. Limón referenced this poem in an interview (Woodruff, Judy. “A Poet’s Take on Looking to Language for ‘Radical Hope’.” PBS) as an example of how poetic language can express and transcend rage.

“The Fish“ by Elizabeth Bishop (1946)

The poem, like “The Leash”, uses nature imagery to create a vividly detailed description. In this case, the primary focus is the fish the speaker catches and then releases. It features a moment of transcendent connection between the fish and the poet that leads to joyful celebration. Limón named Bishop as her first favorite poet. She said, “I discovered her work when I was 15, and I still think Geography III is near perfect” (“Reading with…Ada Limón.” 24 Aug. 2018. Shelf Awareness).

“When the World as We Knew It Ended“ by Joy Harjo (2002)

Joy Harjo was one of poets who influenced The Carrying. The book’s epigraph is taken from her work. “When the World as We Knew It Ended” responds to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and shares with “The Leash” a historical context filled with anxiety and fear. This poem uses a personal voice to discuss large scale events. The speaker places 9/11 into a context that centers the perspective of indigenous people. It opens, “We were dreaming on an occupied island at the farthest edge / of a trembling nation when it went down” (Lines 1-2). Like “The Leash” there is a turn to the everyday. The speaker in the poem focuses on what must be done, on the lives around her, and the work of the poet. “But then there were the seeds to plant and the babies / who needed milk and comforting” (Lines 44-45). Nature goes on and the earth births a poem.

“How to Triumph Like a Girl“ by Ada Limón (2015)

This selection from a slightly earlier point in Limón’s career appeared in Bright Dead Things. It is a Kentucky poem, inspired by the Kentucky Oaks, an all-fillies horse race held the day before the Kentucky Derby. It is a celebration of the horses, the power of femininity, and of life.

Further Literary Resources

“This Poetry Collection Might Help You Make Sense of the State of the World Right Now“ by E. Ce Miller (2018)

This review of The Carrying on Bustle focuses on how the collection spoke to the political moment of the time and poetry’s role in dealing with that turbulence. The article includes an interview with Limón. She discusses the inspiration she finds in nature, poetry, and the “tumultuous” relationship she, particularly as the granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant, had with America at the time.

“Ada Limón: Connected to the Universe“ by Diana Delgado (2018)

The interview with Limón appeared in Guernica. Subjects of discussion include her time in New York and the move to Kentucky, major themes in The Carrying, her work as a poet and process as a writer, and artistic inspirations.

Latent Romanticism, Images of Nature, and the Crises of Capitalism: The Poetry of Mary Oliver and Ada Limón by Meghan O’Toole (2021)

This Master’s thesis discusses how nature themes in the work of Oliver and Limón connect to Romanticism and push back against the exploitation of capitalism. O’Toole argues their contemporary eco-poetry are examples of latent Romanticism that emphasize the importance of nature as “a space of potential community and kinship.”

“Mystery and Birds: Five Ways to Practice Poetry“ by Ada Limón (2010)

This is a chapter in Poets on Teaching: A Sourcebook, edited by Joshua Marie Wilkinson. In this short essay, Limón encourages readers to consider multiple meanings and approaches while reading poetry. Read for sound and story and emotion and everything else. “A poem is a complex living thing,” she says. The essay ends with Limón sharing five things that have helped her as a poet, which is more illuminating than prescriptive. It advocates, among other things, developing a daily writing habit, reading widely, and staying open to revision. The chapter gives insight into both her writing process and her approach to poetry. The book offers material for the poetry and writing classrooms—including practical exercises and theory.

Listen to Poem

Ada Limón reads "The Leash" by Ada Limón

In a May 2021 livestream Poetry Event, Limón introduces and reads several of her poems, including “The Leash.” After reading the poem Limón tells the audience that her pug only likes poems written about her.