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Richard Wilbur

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description Richard Wilbur Overview

Richard Wilbur was an American poet and translator celebrated for his mastery of formal verse, meter, and rhyme. He was appointed as the second Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1987, serving a one-year term. Wilbur received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry twice, first in 1957 for "Things of This World" and again in 1989 for "New and Collected Poems." In addition to his original poetry, he was a prolific translator of French dramatic works by playwrights such as Molière and Jean Racine.

help Richard Wilbur FAQ

Which books earned Richard Wilbur his Pulitzer Prizes?

Wilbur won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for Things of This World in 1957 and New and Collected Poems in 1989. His first winning collection includes "Love Calls Us to the Things of This World," one of his most frequently studied poems.

Why are Richard Wilbur's Molière translations so widely performed?

Wilbur recreated Molière's rhymed verse in fluent, stage-ready English rather than reducing it to flat prose. His translations include Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, and The School for Wives.

What is happening in Richard Wilbur's poem The Writer?

A father listens as his daughter works at a typewriter and compares her creative struggle to a trapped bird fighting its way free. The poem turns an ordinary household sound into a meditation on artistic effort, danger, and parental helplessness.

When was Richard Wilbur the United States Poet Laureate?

Wilbur served from 1987 to 1988 as the second person to hold the title Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. The appointment followed the renaming of the Library of Congress position previously known as Consultant in Poetry.