Lee Herrick

Poet

In this engaging conversation, Host Daniel Chacón speaks with California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick. They discuss his latest work, “In Praise of Late Wonder: New and Selected Poems,” a collection that marks a profound exploration of his identity as a Korean adoptee. While Herrick has long been known as an adopted poet, this book represents his deepest dive yet into themes of adoption, identity, and belonging, featuring intimate pieces about his birth family search and letters to his birth parents.

The discussion expands beyond poetry to explore Herrick’s compelling belief that librarians, farmers, and street food vendors hold the key to society’s salvation, drawing on Anthony Bourdain’s perspective about street food’s vital role in human connection. Herrick and Chacón engage in thoughtful dialogue about the changing landscape of publishing, the role of social media in literary success, and the importance of maintaining authenticity in an increasingly corporatized world.