U.S. Poet Laureate inspires at Carnegie

About 150 people gathered at the Carnegie Arts Center on Sunday for a special poetry reading by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.

A smaller group also had the opportunity to meet Herrera during a book signing and reception prior to the reading.

Former Modesto Poet Laureate debee loyd hadn’t read Herrera’s work before Sunday but instantly became a fan. Lowering one of Herrera’s books, she said, “You can only read so much, then you have to sit and let it digest like a big meal.”

Loyd most appreciated that the poems were both in Spanish and English.

That is how Herrera read his work, too, alternating between the two languages with each verse or sometimes each word. He had the audience repeat some of the Spanish words and phrases and even incorporated song and harmonica into his readings.

Herrera read from one of his children’s books, “Calling the Doves,” which told of his experience as a child of migrant farmworkers growing up in the Central Valley. He talked about being embarrassed as a child by his father’s big sombrero and his mother’s rainbow bag but later found them beautiful.

“I didn’t really notice how hard life was because my parents never complained, they just worked hard,” he said.

Herrera’s reading was part of the Carnegie’s centennial year celebration, but his visit didn’t end Sunday. He will lead a writing workshop for a select group of high school students from Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties Monday.

“The education piece of it and that connection between those students who might have little aspirations but here’s somebody who grew up in Fresno and didn’t speak any English when he started grammar school – lots of kids around here could really relate to that,” said Carnegie Director Lisa McDermott.

Herrera’s appearance at the Carnegie also inspired an adaptation of another of his children’s books by a Turlock theater company.

The adaptation of “Super Cilantro Girl” will run two weekends – Oct. 14-16 and Oct. 21-23. There will be 7 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday nights, and matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information, go to www.lightboxforyouth.org.

This story was originally published September 18, 2016 at 7:38 PM with the headline "U.S. Poet Laureate inspires at Carnegie."