US Poet Laureate Visits UWM to Read Poetry, Bring Cultures Together

The current Poet Laureate of the United States, Juan Felipe Herrera, visited UWM Thursday night for a poetry reading and to preach the idea of unity throughout all races and religions. He is the first Latino Poet Laureate of the United States.

His visit was a part of the Bordeaux Reading Series.

The 67-year-old poet from California is a well-known son of migrant farmers. He experienced many different cultures from a young age as his family moved from town-to-town in southern California. It wouldn’t be until Herrera’s college years that he would become fully immersed in poetry.

Herrera walked on to the stage of the Union Ballroom at around 7:10 p.m. This was 10 minutes later than scheduled. So many extra guests arrived that event coordinators had to set up more chairs. When he finally made his way to the podium, Herrera was sporting a candy red jacket, an immense turquoise ring and a striped beanie. You could assume his love for distinct combinations the moment he arrived.

Immediately, Herrera jumped into the background behind some of his first poems. During his college years, Herrera and friends embarked on a journey to Mexico in the search for language, culture and reality. One of the group’s first stops was the rainforest of Chiapas. Herrera recalled how once the group arrived, he had his first true encounter with the indigenous people of Mexico. It was there that he realized the indigenous community had both the worst land and materials. From Chiapas, the next stop would be central Mexico’s Mayan territory.

“I wanted poetry made of the human beings there,” said Herrera in a soft voice. Even with a microphone attached to his striking jacket, it seemed like he was talking to the audience personally.

In his search for “real” poetry, the Mayan people told Herrera about the serious issues facing their community. These real issues included everything from the very grave problem of rape to the rubber industry in Mexico. Herrera’s ideas of what real poetry was changed forever.

He then transitioned into a poem about climate change, which he had written on the way to Milwaukee. Herrera signaled for the audience to follow along with the poem and repeat after him.

“Everybody say climate change!” he commanded.

The audience complied, following his words in both English and Spanish. This is what he is so well known for. He includes all types of languages in his work. His poetry makes both languages somehow become one-shared by all people.

“Let us embrace all our language,” said Herrera. “There are always word we don’t want to use. We put them in prison.”

Herrera then began to talk more about the issues facing undocumented peoples in the United States. He pulled out a copy of his well-known work “187 Reasons Mexicanos Can’t Cross the Border.”

“When we’re seen as an outside people, our documents must then become undocumented,” said Herrera. He explained how without documents, many people cannot receive the services that they so desperately need.

He finished his reading with a poem he dedicated to the people who had lost their lives in the recent mass shooting in South Carolina.  He told audience members that they too have a poem to offer, called action.

Herrera was greeted with a standing ovation and the cries for an encore as he finished his reading.

“I wouldn’t expect that kind of poetry from him,” said UWM junior Gustavo Gomez. “He’s like modernized but old school. I liked it.”

Milwaukee resident John Oberwetter was also pleased with the reading. “The previous articles I read on Herrera before coming didn’t do him justice,” said Oberwetter. “He made it so in the moment. He lives poetry.” Oberwetter, a former 3^rd grade creative writing teacher, especially appreciated Herrera’s story of how an old teacher told him he had a beautiful voice-and completely changed his life.

For more information on Herrera and his work, you can visit juanfelipepoet.com.