Richard Wilbur
Lesson plans and teaching resources

In this video Poetry Out Loud contestant Amy Burzak recites the poem.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

Text of the poem. that inspired the poem.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

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.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

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.

Downloadable audio file of the poem (1:09).

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

Text of the poem.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

Links to 10 poems, including audio links of Wilbur reading them.

Text of the poem.

Text of the poem.

In this YouTube video (9:23) a classroom teacher introduces, reads, and analyzes the poem.

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."

This lesson uses Richard Wilbur's poem "The Writer" to encourage students to develop an extended metaphor describing themselves as writers.

Text of the poem and an audio file of Garrison Keillor reading it.

A downloadable audio file of the poem (2:00); click on the title for the text of the poem.