My mother was a washerwoman - or a woman that cleaned houses in Texas... in Plano, Texas - who always loved poetry and always loved stories. Juan Felipe Herrera cleanhouselove Change image and share on social
The goal for me is to be as expansive as possible, and the Library of Congress offers so many resources. Juan Felipe Herrera congressexpansivegoal Change image and share on social
I tell my workshop students, 'I want you to think of yourselves as artists. Then, when you're writing, you're painting, you're crafting, you're making a design, you're sculpting, you're creating choreography, sound, a sound script.' Juan Felipe Herrera artistchoreographycraft share on social
I write while I'm walking, on little scraps of paper. If I have a melody going, I can feel it for days. Juan Felipe Herrera dayfeelmelody Change image and share on social
Poetry, as odd as it is, and as hard to figure out as it is, many times, it's almost something that we're used to. It's kind of like a dream language that we had centuries ago, so that when we speak poetically or write a poem about what's going on, a real difficult issue that's facing our communities, people listen. Juan Felipe Herrera agocenturycommunity share on social
San Diego shaped me a lot. The visual landscapes, the emotional panoramas, the teachers and mentors I had from the third grade through San Diego High - it's all a big part of the poetry fountain that I continue to drink from. Juan Felipe Herrera bigcontinuediego share on social
Just like my parents immigrated from ranch to ranch picking crops, I have migrated from city to city. Juan Felipe Herrera citycropimmigrate Change image and share on social
Do not wait for a poem; a poem is too fast for you. Do not wait for the poem; run with the poem and then write the poem. Juan Felipe Herrera fastpoemrun Change image and share on social
Diversity really means becoming complete as human beings - all of us. We learn from each other. If you're missing on that stage, we learn less. We all need to be on that stage. Juan Felipe Herrera beingcompletediversity Change image and share on social