Richard Wilbur, God and Christianity A recurring theme in Richard Wilbur's poetry is that of God and Christianity. Biblical references can be found throughout his work, even in poems that have little to do with religion. However, this theme is quite important as there are several poems that contain more than fleeting references. Wilbur provides ideas in these poems that Christians can identify with, whether in the Christian lifestyle or directly from the Bible. Richard Wilbur was raised by a Presbyterian father and an Episcopalian mother. Because his mother was closer to her own faith, they attended an Episcopal church. When Wilbur's parents decided not to go to church, a neighbor took him to a Baptist Sunday school. When he was in high school and college, he became involved in organizations such as the Christian Association of Amherst. It was during the war that Wilbur says he had a certain "inwardness" because he "carried everywhere" a missal that a chaplain had given him (Image). Wilbur's religious background is steeped in Christianity and several denominations. This gave him familiarity with the Scriptures and doctrine. In “Peter,” Wilbur writes about the well-known apostle of Christ. The speaker is Peter himself, and the reader is shown his perspective during the last week of Christ's life. He confesses that they drank "new wine" and fell asleep (line 3). This refers to Matthew 26:36-45 where the apostles, including Peter, kept falling asleep while Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. This was a time of anguish for Jesus, and Peter knew that their problems with sleepiness were minor compared to the looming weight of the cross on the Savior's shoulders "at the end of the story" (line 1). He also knows...... half of the paper...... Wilbur." Poets in Progress. Ed. Edward Hungerford. Northwestern University, 1962. 59-72. Hill, Donald. Richard Wilbur. New York: Twayne, 1967.Michelson, Bruce's Poetry: Music in a Dispersive Time Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1991.Wilbur, Richard Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion. New and Collected Poems. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. Wilbur, Richard. Matthew VIII, 28 ff." New and Collected Poems. 154.Wilbur, Richard. "A Christmas Hymn." New and Collected Poems. 225-26.Wilbur, Richard. "Love calls us to the things of this world." New and Collected Poems. 233-34.