Professor Lee Herrick celebrated his new book, This Many Miles from Desire, with a spirited poetry reading. Fitting, for the book is a brilliant collection of poems emphasizing the beauty of life, yet addressing the inner-struggle to find ones place in the world.
This marks the English and poetry professor’s first publication. “I’m so proud, he’s worked so hard,” said Georgia Herrick, his mother and a renowned painter, standing at a distance from the wall of supporters surrounding Herrick.
Herrick leaves the impression of being extremely attentive, perceptive; an asset that has undoubtedly contributed to the vivid descriptions in his poetry. “Poetry is about absorbing the little things, working hard, and just enjoying life,” he said.
James Prucil, a poet and former student said, “He’s an odd teacher, kind of like a mentor.” He remembers being assigned to write three poems per week in Herrick’s class. He recalls having run out of his ‘bag of tricks’ fast, which in hindsight was one of the most freeing occurrences in his journey as a poet. “It forces you to find other topics, which in the end, wind up being some of your greatest works.”
The oldest poems found in the book date back to the late 90’s such as “What is Sacred,” published in the Haight Ashbury Literary Journal. However, most of the book was written after a time of travel for Herrick. His travels to the Far East around the turn of the century brought on a tidal wave of emotion for Herrick, a Korean adoptee.
This was in turn penned into some of his greatest and most passionate works, “Korean Adoptee Returns to Seoul” among them.
With titles ranging from “Yoga on the Beach” to “Listening to Janis Joplin,” the book is very eclectic. The themes of music, love, adoption, and God permeate the book.
One can’t help but notice how fascinating his portrayal of daily life in a city is. Be it in Fresno or across the Pacific, Herrick takes the everyday labors of individuals and turns them into art.
The cover of the book captures this idea well. Some 20 men crammed in a boat, each with a bicycle, which appears to be made for more like five people (without bicycles). The men are headed off to yet another day at work. The photo, taken in Vietnam by his wife who is also a Fresno City College instructor, not only fits well with the title, but reinforces the idea that there is beauty in the mundane.
