Central California Poetry Journal

Volume 96 Number 1

The Poetry of Central California Page 6118

The Poetry of Lee Herrick

Lee Herrick has lived in Danville, Modesto and Turlock, and currently lives in Fresno, California. He completed his M.A. in English at CSU Stanislaus. His poetry deals with themes of identity, race, loss, and love.

Mr. Herrick has taught Literature and Language Arts at Modesto Junior College, and now teaches writing full-time at Fresno City College. He is the founder and editor of "In the Grove", a new literary journal featuring the short fiction, essays, and poetry of California writers. Lee Herrick's poetry has been published in The Poets' Edge, South Ash Press, Penumbra, and dIS*orient. Lee Herrick is currently working on a book of poetry, "Coping With Vertigo."

E-mail to Lee Herrick at leeherrick@hotmail.com

centered baritone

I fall along you
I courtyard frolick and cater
to meet your shape,
to rub down your better skin.
When I am not beside you,
beneath you,
I transform from passivity
into a voice
shedding the standard
to which dreams defer.
I like my centered baritone
voice-
It is Pacific Ocean deep,
like James Earl Jones slowly,
purposefully reciting.
It is lovemaking on a page,
like Neftali Basoalto
or Neruda at night.
It is the flutter and flight
of Miles Davis,
delightful and cool.
It is blurred
watercolor wet,
emerging triumphant
just beyond the sound
of your fading
voice.