Wilbur’s ecological perspective, which emerges from the interplay of observation, insight, and recognition, bears a strong resemblance to that of contemporary ecological writers and critics. Yet, despite such affinities, he has not generally been categorized or recognized as an ecological poet. While Wilbur does not exhibit explicit political statements or direct activism outside of his works, his ecological vision is clearly implied within them. His sustained attentiveness to natural phenomena, the insights derived from such attentiveness, his reflections on the modes of existence in nature, his implicit critique of anthropocentric thought, and his poetic articulation of the invisible order of ecosystems all resonate strongly with the emphases of contemporary ecocriticism. Accordingly, Wilbur’s works can serve as significant material for ecocritical interpretations that seek to reconstruct the relationship between humanity and nature. Moreover, they can provide a ground for reflection on ecological ethics by forging new connections between the human and the natural. From this perspective, Wilbur’s poetry deserves renewed attention within the fields of ecopoetics and ecological philosophy, and it can indeed be said that an ecological reading of his work is both possible and valuable.
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