Wilbur, Richard, 1921–, American poet and translator, b. New York City, grad. Amherst (B.A., 1942) and Harvard (M.A., 1947). A skillful craftsman who writes gracefully in traditional verse forms, Wilbur is always original, generally affirmative in his view of the world, and can be profound and witty, playful and intellectual. His volumes of verse include The Beautiful Changes (1947), Ceremony (1950), Things of This World (1956; Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award), Advice to a Prophet (1961), The Mind Reader (1976), New and Collected Poems (1988; Pulitzer Prize), and Mayflies (2000). Opposites (1973) is a collection of his poems for children, and Responses (1976) and The Catbird's Song (1997) are collections of his prose pieces. Wilbur was America's poet laureate from 1987 to 1988. He has translated Molière Molière, Jean Baptiste Poquelin (zhäN bätēst` pôklăN` môlyĕr`)
..... Click the link for more information. 's The Misanthrope (1955), Tartuffe (1963), and The School for Wives (1972) and other classic French drama. With Lillian Hellman Hellman, Lillian, 1905–84, American dramatist, b. New Orleans. Her plays, although often melodramatic, are marked by intelligence and craftsmanship. The Children's Hour
..... Click the link for more information. , he wrote the libretto for Leonard Bernstein Bernstein, Leonard (bûrn`stīn, –stēn), 1918–90, American composer, conductor, and pianist, b. Lawrence, Mass.
..... Click the link for more information. 's musical version of Voltaire's Candide (1957). Wilbur is also an editor and teacher.

Bibliography

See his Collected Poems 1943–2004 (2004); studies by D. L. Hill (1967) and W. Salinger, ed. (1983); bibliography by F. Bixler (1991).

Wilbur, Richard (Purdy)

(born March 1, 1921, New York, N.Y., U.S.) U.S. poet, critic, editor, and translator. He studied literature at Harvard University and established himself as an important young poet with the collections The Beautiful Changes (1947) and Ceremony (1950). His urbane, well-crafted verse later appeared in volumes such as Things of This World (1956, Pulitzer Prize), Walking to Sleep (1969), and The Mind Reader (1976). He also translated plays (notably those of Molière) and wrote criticism and children's books. He served as U.S. poet laureate in 1987–88.

Wilbur, Richard (Purdy) (1921– ) poet, writer; born in New York City. He studied at Amherst (B.A. 1942), and Harvard (M.A. 1947) and taught at many institutions, notably Wesleyan (1957–77). Based in Cummington, Mass., he won acclaim for his poetry translations as well as for his own elegant lyrical poetry, as in New and Collected Poems (1988). He is also widely known for his often performed translations of Molière and for his lyrics to the musical Candide (1956). He was named Poet Laureate of the United States in 1987.