Duane L. Herrmann

Duane L. Herrmann, a reluctant carbon-based life-form, was surprised to find himself in 1951 on a farm in Kansas. He’s still trying to make sense of it but has grown fond of grass waving in the wind, trees and the enchantment of moonlight. He aspires to be a hermit, but would miss his children, grandchildren and a few friends. His work has been published in many real places and online, even some of both in languages he can’t read (English is difficult enough!). He is known to carry baby kittens in his mouth, pet snakes, and converse with owls, but is careful not to anger them! All this, despite a traumatic, abusive childhood (first suicidal at age two) embellished with dyslexia, ADHD (both unknown at the time), cyclothymia, and now, PTSD. He’s still learning to breathe and perform human at the same time. He holds degrees in Education and History, has taught pre-school to college, farmed, built a house while living in it, worked in and supervised an office, raised four children and, by 2020, had published seven books of poetry, a history, a science fiction novel, assisted with three memoirs and has completed various other literary projects. His work is found in more than two dozen anthologies and as many websites. He has been cited and quoted in various places in English and other languages. He is considered one of the "most recognized poets in Kansas," is included in American Poets of the 1990s, Kansas Poets Trail and Map of Kansas Literature. He has received the Robert Hayden Poetry Fellowship and Ferguson Kansas History Book Award, among others.