A state’s official poet laureate might seem like a cushy, relaxed job, but when Nolan introduced Herrick, she mentioned the hectic “rock star” schedule of the Korean American poet, appearing everywhere from elementary and high schools, libraries, senior centers, even prisons all over the state, doing outreach and connecting our citizens through the art of poetry. Herrick said in 2023 he appeared at 120 events.
Originally serving as the Poet Laureate of Fresno from 2015-2017, Herrick was appointed to the state’s poet by Governor Newsom in 2022. Newsom said, “Lee’s dedication to highlighting the diverse experience of Californians and making them so accessible through poetry makes him the perfect candidate… his canon explores the diversity and vitality of the California experience and the exhilarating success of the American experiment.”
Born in DaeJeon, South Korea and adopted as an infant, Herrick grew up in Modesto, CA, immersed in literature, art, and various cultural influences. He recalled his poetic origins:
“I remember at a very early age, loving the sound of words… In high school, I had a lot of anger, and I was listening to a lot of punk (rock), which has a real visceral energy to it, but I’ll never forget the day I got passed a RUN DMC tape in class… and it sort of blended with the reading I was doing in school.”
Herrick went on to describe the eight-month process of becoming our state’s Poet Laureate, including numerous interviews before being nominated by a panel of writers, artists, and educators whose identities are kept confidential. Herrick was then forwarded to the governor’s office, where he was interviewed twice with the governor’s six-person staff. The conclusion was a surprise visit by Governor Newsom to Herrick’s classroom while he was teaching, to give Herrick his official title. Since then, he describes the experience as “pure joy.”
In Herrick’s poem “My California,” he weaves a vast multicultural tapestry of our Golden State, citing wine country, Fresno’s “beer-soaked gutters,” good salsa, farmer’s markets, and the hope for “less of a police state and more for the state of grace.”
To further his encouragement for inclusivity, Herrick announced his new project “Our California,” a collaboration with the California Arts Council inspired by Herrick’s poem. The project invites all Californians to write a poem about their city, town, or state, exploring what they love about it, what joy they find in it, what they would change, and what they hope for. To submit, please visit https://capoetlaureate.org/ourcalifornia
