Kimberly Vargas Agnese, author of Kadupul Flower: Poems, received advance praise endorsement from United States Poet Laureate Emeritus Juan Felipe Herrera, Young People’s Poet Laureate Emeritus Margarita Engle and California State Poet Laureate Lee Herrick. Reviewing Kadupul Flower, Tony Rollinson of the internationally-acclaimed Permaculture Magazine observes that Kimberly’s writing is “As great as any poetry, music, or art you will encounter this year. It is Frida Kahlo, mixed with James Joyce, ranchera and permaculture.” The Latin American Review of Books adds that “The poems of Kimberly Vargas Agnese encapsulate this eloquent fascination for the commonplace – from everyday foods to price tags – that takes the reader straight to the interface between retina and mind” (Gavin O’Toole, former sub-editor of The Guardian and The Observer, award-winning writer and journalist).
Kadupul Flower has been acquired by thirty-five public and academic libraries worldwide, including multiple special/specialized collections: The Poetry Collection at the University at Buffalo, the Poetry Center at the University of Arizona and the Weinbaum Poetry Collection at Texas A & M University. It has been added to the Widener Library at Harvard University, the Butler Library at Columbia University, Firestone Library at Princeton University, Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University, and the Gardner Stacks at UC Berkeley, among others.
Kadupul Flower appeared on the 2025 CLMP list for Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as new release lists from The Philly Chapbook Review and Latinx in Publishing. Additionally, it was named the April 2026 Book of the Month for the Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club, as well as for Reflections Bookstore of Antioch, CA.
A former literacy coach, youth pastor and special education teacher, Kimberly makes her home in the smoggy California Central Valley. She spends her time cultivating a young food forest called Meadow Arc, discussing literature with her daughter (Stephanie, praying), and writing advocacy poetry.
A member of PEN America, Kimberly has been welcomed into several venues for speaking and reading, including the Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club podcast, the 2025 Fresno Writers Summit and An Awakenings Foundation Reading Night, as well as A Book Barn of Clovis and the Clovis Library. Additionally, she has been invited to lead workshops at UC Merced and the Fresno County Public Library, and serves as a resource person for the Sanger West High School Poetry Club.
Kimberly was recently spotlighted on Latino Book Review and also garnered a “Block Beat” mention on Fresnoland. Kimberly appeared as a featured author on NativeAmericans.org and has been interviewed in Black Fox Literary Magazine and The Rappahannock Review. Kimberly has also written as Kae Bucher.
Over forty of Kimberly’s poems, and two short stories, appear in sundry literary journals and anthologies, including Common Ground Review, Shift Magazine, Anacua Literary Arts Journal and Unstamatic: Newsprint.
Kimberly’s full-length collection, “Red String on a Saguaro Cactus” was named a finalist for the 2022 Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize, awarded biannually by the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. To read more of her work, please visit www.kimberlyvargasagnese.com.
