John Herr: A Man of Science, a Poet

He would occasionally ride his bicycle and visit with a bag full of tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers from his garden on the other side of Lewis Mountain. John was a friend of mine—a poet and a scientist. I miss John Herr, and I made this film.

PLAY MOVIE

From John, I learned that there is poetry in science. He knew how to look into unicellular organisms as a lover looks into the eyes of another. We fished together on the Shenandoah River, floated other waters, and, yes, we also made films.

What I’m sharing today is a small token of that collaboration. I miss John—and you should too. He was devoted to science, and his discoveries made life better for us all.