I am not familiar with too much of his poetry. I read his biography on the Poetry Foundation site and he is now on my list of must reads. I find it interesting that he has been relegated to second rate status by some for being too formal and detached. Can’t wait to read some more of his work.
I wasn’t either except mostly by reputation and enough pieces in anthologies to know I would like his work. Few months back I found The Poems of Richard Wilbur at the thrift store. Loved it. this poem’s in it.
Just pulled it back out.
Time for a revisit.
Yeah. Funny (not really) about him bing sidelined for being a formalist. Luckily that attitude seems to be adjusting a bit (even if just a little bit) in the other direction. More and more contemporary poets are revisiting form.
I just decided to hop on to Eliot’s November Shadorma bandwagon, as it happens. Nothing like working in form to limber up the poetic mind.
I now have 3 new poets to read, 3 used books to buy and about 6 books on a stack that need to be read Heather McHugh (https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/what-he-thought) when you have a moment this poem, What He Thought, is one of those that makes you so glad there are poets in the world, Colleen McElroy and now Wilbur. I will look forward to reading your Shadormas too.
Poetry on the run 
Ah, shit.
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I had not checked my email yet today.
One of the greats.
I have the line, ” the clean horse of our courage” copied into my notes.
What a line.
The bronze annals of the oak-trees have closed.
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I am not familiar with too much of his poetry. I read his biography on the Poetry Foundation site and he is now on my list of must reads. I find it interesting that he has been relegated to second rate status by some for being too formal and detached. Can’t wait to read some more of his work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t either except mostly by reputation and enough pieces in anthologies to know I would like his work. Few months back I found The Poems of Richard Wilbur at the thrift store. Loved it. this poem’s in it.
Just pulled it back out.
Time for a revisit.
LikeLike
Yeah. Funny (not really) about him bing sidelined for being a formalist. Luckily that attitude seems to be adjusting a bit (even if just a little bit) in the other direction. More and more contemporary poets are revisiting form.
I just decided to hop on to Eliot’s November Shadorma bandwagon, as it happens. Nothing like working in form to limber up the poetic mind.
LikeLike
I now have 3 new poets to read, 3 used books to buy and about 6 books on a stack that need to be read Heather McHugh (https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/what-he-thought) when you have a moment this poem, What He Thought, is one of those that makes you so glad there are poets in the world, Colleen McElroy and now Wilbur. I will look forward to reading your Shadormas too.
LikeLike