Written in the Stars
Kansans have long looked to the stars to define who we are. Ad astra per aspera, "To the stars through difficulty," reveals our aspirational visions grounded in a prairie sensibility. Through poetry, Written in the Stars continues this look toward the celestial to find connection and inspiration.
The chapbook features 10 poems that reflect upon the stars and planets of the Kansas night sky with original illustrations by Matthew Willie Garcia. Two essays and guiding questions engage readers in humanities-themed conversations.
...The celestial prompts us to reflect upon the passing of time, of what has been, and to speculate on what could be. The universe tells its story through these lights, and we see our own lives reflected in them.
—Megan Kaminski, editor of Written in the Stars
Edited by Megan Kaminski with poetry by Traci Brimhall, Megan Kaminski, Michael Kleber-Diggs, Hyejung Kook, Ada Limón, Jesse Nathan, Elise Paschen, Naomi Shihab Nye, William Stafford, and Kevin Young. Essays Megan Kaminski and Christopher Auner.
Written in the Stars is made possible by the Friends of Humanities Kansas, the Sunflower Foundation, Kansas Tourism, and the Greater Salina Community Foundation.
Individual copies of Written in the Stars are available free to Kansans. One copy per household, while supplies last.
Copies are available for free download until January 31, 2025.
Apply to be a Statewide Poetry Partner
Community-based cultural organizations such as libraries, museums, arts centers, and civic groups are invited to apply for copies of Written in the Stars to distribute within their community.
Applicants must be nonprofits based in Kansas. A final report and cost share are required at the end of the initiative.
Written in the Stars Statewide Partners
Our thanks to the following cultural partners for their distribution of the book in fall 2024. (Contact organizations directly to confirm copies are still available.)
Coffey County Library, Burlington
Coldwater-Wilmore Regional Library
Dorothy Bramlage Public Library, Junction City
Emporia State University Libraries
Grant County Public Library, Ulysses
Haskell Cultural Center & Museum
Koester House & Museum, Marysville
Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, Pleasanton
Mary Cotton Public Library, Sabetha
Mid-America All-Indian Museum, Wichita
Pioneer Memorial Library, Colby
Schlagle Environmental Learning Library, Kansas City
Scott County Historical Society, Scott City
Scott County Library, Scott City
Seneca Area Chamber of Commerce
Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence
Stanton County Public Library, Johnson
Stauth Memorial Museum, Montezuma
For more information, contact Leslie VonHolten, Director of Grants & Outreach, LVH@humanitieskansas.org.
Please consider a donation to Humanities Kansas to support more programming that shares stories to spark conversations and inspire new insights.