Faculty Info
Name: Kimiko Hahn
“Every semester I have to figure out what my students don’t know so that I can figure out how to teach the class or writing workshop. I love that they keep me guessing, and in doing so, they keep me learning.”
– Kimiko Hahn
Past Profiles
Author of nine books of poetry, CUNY Distinguished Professor Kimiko Hahn has touched many lives with her work in and out of the classroom, for more than 25 years. In that period, she has accumulated numerous honors, including the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, the American Book Award, and the Shelley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America, as well as fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Hahn grew up in a bicultural household. Her parents—a Japanese-American woman from Hawaii, and a German-American man from Milwaukee—met at art school. Their heritage and sensibilities would prove hugely influential.
“My mother would read stories to me in Japanese,” recalls Hahn. “Even though I couldn’t understand what she was reading, the musicality of the language—hearing words and seeing the pictures and putting that together—inspired me from a young age.”
Growing up in a family of visual artists, Hahn was encouraged to express herself, and poetry gave her a platform to speak up and be heard. She draws inspiration from poets Adrienne Rich and Louise Gluck, as well as poets from classical Japanese literature, which she studied in graduate school.
Hahn’s writing often addresses difficult topics such as jealousy, betrayal, and rivalry. One of her early books, The Unbearable Heart— which is Hahn’s personal favorite —focuses on the loss of her mother, who died in a tragic accident more than 25 years ago. In her last two books, Toxic Flora and Brain Fever, she combines the world of science with her personal experiences.
Since 1993, Hahn has been a member of the Queens College English department, where she teaches literature and creative writing. She has inspired many students, including recent QC graduate Rajiv Mohabir, who has already published two books of poetry.
Despite all her success, Hahn has new goals to achieve, such as publishing a book of creative nonfiction. She has no imminent plans to retire from Queens College because she loves the challenge of teaching.