"Museum Piece," by Richard Wilbur

"Museum Piece," by Richard Wilbur

Richard Wilbur was born in New York City in March, 1921. Because his grandfather and great-grandfather were editors, Wilbur showed an early interest for journalism. He became a student at Amherst College in the early 1940's, writing stories, editorials, and poems for his college newspaper, and attended Harvard University later in life. His writing is strongly influenced by his experience of serving in World War II; his poems formal, traditional, and reflective in order to "organize oneself and the world."  Wilbur succeeded Robert Penn Warren as the second poet laureate of the United States in 1987, has won two Pulitzer Prizes, a National Book Award, and many other honors. He was is famous for his translations of French verse.

The good gray guardians of art
Patrol the halls on spongy shoes,
Impartially protective, though
Perhaps suspicious of Toulouse.

Here dozes one against the wall,
Disposed upon a funeral chair.
A Degas dancer pirouettes
Upon the parting of his hair.

See how she spins! The grace is there,
But strain as well is plain to see.
Degas loved the two together:
Beauty joined to energy.

Edgar Degas purchased once
A fine El Greco, which he kept
Against the wall beside his bed
To hang his pants on while he slept. 

We read poems without giving them a second thought. Paintings are passed by in museum halls without a second glance. Works of art that have been toiled on for days, months, even years on end, are set aside with blatant disregard. “Museum Piece,” by Richard Wilbur discusses this lack of appreciation for all artwork, despite the individual beauty each piece possesses.

            Common to other works by Richard Wilbur, “Museum Piece,” is a standard and traditional poem, with four stanzas that use simple language. The first stanza begins with security guards, “good gray guardians of art,” patrolling the halls of a museum. However, instead of carefully “guarding” the artwork, they are asleep upon a “funeral chair, " while "A Degas dancer pirouettes upon the parting of his hair.” Whether it is a dislike of the art, or simply indifference, Wilbur uses this imagery to comment on the public’s general lack of appreciation. Through his description of the painting in the third stanza, we are made aware of the strain and care put into each work of art, or each piece of poetry. With the grace and beauty of each, comes a small piece of the artist or poet; the emotions they want to express, their voice, and a glimpse into their character.

            Wilbur uses this poem as a metaphor for being a poet. He must be the artist, taking a risk to hang up his work for the world. However, no matter how much of himself he pours into a poem; there will always be someone that will “hang his pants” on it at the end of the day.