Richard Wilbur
Lesson plans and teaching resources
"Advice to a Prophet"
In this video Poetry Out Loud contestant Amy Burzak recites the poem.
"April 5, 1974"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"A Baroque Wall-Fountain in the Villa Sciarra"
Text of the poem.
A photograph of the fountain
that inspired the poem.
"A Barred Owl"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"Blackberries for Amelia"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"Boy at the Window"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
Poet Richard Wilbur's Letter About "The Death of a Toad"
In 1997, Richard Wilbur's poem "The Death of a Toad" appeared on the Advanced Placement English Literature Exam. At that time, an AP teacher named Penny wrote to him about the poem, and he responded with a detailed letter about the writing of the poem.
"Digging for China"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"The Disappearing Alphabet"
Text of the poem. Scroll down for activities and an audio file of Wilbur reading the poem.
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"Glitter and be Gay"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"Hamlen Brook"
Downloadable audio file of the poem (1:09).
"In Trackless Woods"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"Love Calls Us to the Things of This World"
Text of the poem.
"Parable"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"A Pasture Poem"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
Richard Wilbur
Links to 10 poems, including audio links of Wilbur reading them.
Richard Wilbur, "Boy at the Window"
Text of the poem.
"The Writer"
Text of the poem.
"The Writer"
In this YouTube video (9:23) a classroom teacher introduces, reads, and analyzes the poem.
"The Writer": Ducklings vs. Stairs
In this YouTube video (2:31), a mother duck looks on while twelve of her adorable ducklings attempt to overcome what is to them a very large obstacle, the stairs. Will they make it? Watch and find out! Great companion piece for "The Writer."
Writing about Writing: An Extended Metaphor Assignment
This lesson uses Richard Wilbur's poem "The Writer" to encourage students to develop an extended metaphor describing themselves as writers.
"Year's End"
Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.
"Year's End"
A downloadable audio file of the poem (2:00); click on the title for the text of the poem.