Interview with Samuel Rain Benjamin, Kern County Poet Laureate 2024-2026

A formal announcement was made on Friday, April 5th, 6 PM at Dagny’s Coffee in Bakersfield
To name Samuel Rain Benjamin as the Kern County Poet Laureate 2024-2026 

 

Interview with Samuel Rain Benjamin, Kern County Poet Laureate 2024-2026
By: Carla Joy Martin

Q.  How did you become a poet?  Describe what inspired you to write.  What has been your path?

A.  Poetry has been a journey for me from high school to college and beyond. In my early years, most of everything I wrote was about life and how cruel the world was. I would hold all this within myself. My thoughts were filled with the pain of the world. Seeing I could not change what the world had become, I put my pen down and for twenty-five years, silence was my only thought.

 

There were moments I thought about writing, but I could not find myself. I saw the world the same: so much hate amongst all the joy and hate was still winning. I looked within, thinking, Can I do anything about it and not be apart of the past?  I saw that mankind – we as humans – are still living the same today: the haves and have nots. Then it hit me – if I was going to write again, it would be only about love.

 

I have always had the hunger to write. It was my way of speaking out. Once I decided to write about love, I had to love myself again, so I began to read poems about love.  In 2004, I penned the poem, “The Passion Within.” I was moved by the thought, I think I can do this. That moment brought me to where I am now.

 

I never thought I would perform my poetry – ever.  When I listened to myself read out loud, it didn’t sound good to me.  So for the first few years, I just wrote and read to myself.   My first time reading was a challenge. I read at a local book store, sharing love poems.  Imagine that!

The poems were ok as I began to discover my voice. I was still not convinced I was ready, so I excepted the mission before me and moved back to Los Angeles in 2009 to pursue performing my poems at venues around the city.  From there I would continue this journey of performing my poetry that has taken me all over the country, becoming the Poet Laureate of Kern County in 2024. This year, through workshops, I will share my path on how to become all that you believe.