Former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera to Kick Off ‘Cruel April’ Poetry Series
As a “natural wonderer, dreamer, traveler… mega listener…and only child,” poet Juan Felipe Herrera grew up in California’s San Joaquín and Salinas Valleys “listening to everything and everyone,” he says, and those habits led him “to the magical lands of words, stories, ideas, books, songs, riddles and ultimately writing.”
Herrera, the 2015-17 U.S. Poet Laureate, will be in Syracuse this week as the opening poet for the Point of Contact (Punto de Contacto) 2024 Cruel April Poetry Series.
Herrera will lead creative writing workshops for students and community members on Wednesday, April 3, and Friday, April 5. Both sessions are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at La Casita Cultural Center, 109 Otisco Street in Syracuse.
His public poetry reading is Thursday, April 4, from 6 to 8 p.m., also at La Casita.
We sat down with Herrera to discuss his poetry and creative work and learn about his creative process.