Junot Díaz recently called Aracelis Girmay’s “Kingdom Animalia” his favorite poem in a New York Times Sunday Book Review feature. The list, entitled "What's Your Favorite Poem?," features a number of highly-acclaimed authors and public personas discussing their favorite poems, including broadcast journalist Katie Couric, actor Alan Cumming, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Díaz, novelist Stephen King, young adult author John Green, children’s author Mo Willems, actress Mary-Louise Parker, and This American Life host Ira Glass.

Díaz says: "Girmay is one of my favorite poets. She blows across the islands of my soul like storm season. I remember rereading these lines shortly after I lost my sister:

Oh, body, be held now by whom you love.
Whole years will be spent, underneath these impossible stars,
when dirt’s the only animal who will sleep with you
& touch you with
its mouth.

And I was never the same."

Click here to see the full New York Times feature.

Kingdom Animalia is available at the BOA Bookstore. Girmay's forthcoming collection The Black Maria is also available for pre-order. To celebrate BOA's 40th anniversary year, we're offering 40% off all BOA Bookstore orders through January. Use promo code BOATURNS40 at checkout to save!