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Article: Chapter and Verse, American Style; Richard Wilbur: Boorstin Chooses `A poet for us All' as Second Laureate
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- April 18, 1987
- Author:
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Richard Wilbur, a much-honored poet, translator and critic, was
named yesterday as the second poet laureate of the United States. "He
is a poet for us all, whose elegant words brim with wit and paradox,"
said Librarian of Congress Daniel J. Boorstin, who is responsible for
selecting the laureate. "He is also a poet's poet, at home in the
long tradition and the traveled ways of the great poets of our
language ... His poems are among the best our country has to offer."
The 66-year-old writer will succeed Robert Penn Warren. Wilbur
has often been suggested for the position of consultant in poetry in
the Library of Congress, which was created 50 years ago and in 1985
was transformed by act ...