William D. Mundell

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William D. Mundell
The Brattleboro Reformer, Monday, December 14, 1987 photo[1]
Born(1912-12-30)December 30, 1912
South Newfane, Windham County, Vermont
DiedDecember 24, 1997(1997-12-24) (aged 84)
South Newfane, Windham County, Vermont
EducationMarlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont and Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont
Known forPoet Laureate of Vermont 1989-1997
HonoursStephen Vincent Benét Award, 1968

William Daniel Mundell (December 30, 1912 – December 24, 1997)[2] was an American poet who served as Vermont's poet laureate from 1989 to 1997. He published six anthologies of poetry.

Biography[edit]

Mundell was born in 1912, and he died on Christmas Eve 1997, in a 200-year-old farmhouse in South Newfane, Vermont, in the same room in which he was born.[2] He attended Middlebury College but dropped out during the Depression to support his family.[3] During World War II, he served as a radar operator in the Pacific. After the War, he took a year at Marlboro College.[4]

Mundell was a foreman with the Vermont State Highway Department, a selectman, justice of the peace, and auditor for the Town of Newfane. He was a carpenter, stonemason, painter, and a fine photographer, noted for his studies of frost on windows and ice in brooks — which appeared in Life Magazine, March 5, 1971.[5] An expert skier, he built one of the first rope ski tows in Vermont.[6]

Mundell was Executive Editor of Poet Lore magazine, and taught poetry at the Cooper Hill Writers Conference.[7] In 1989, he was named his state's poet laureate by the Poetry Society of Vermont.[2] He was the second person to hold this title, after Robert Frost.[2]

On February 18, 1998, the Vermont House and Senate passed Joint Resolution 123, "celebrating the remarkable life of Vermont's Poet Laureate and artist extraordinary William D. Mundell".[8]

As part of New York Public Radio, Readers Almanac series, Mundell discussed his 1977 collection Mundell Country: New Poems on June 26, 1978. The 23 minute audio file may be streamed at the NYPR Archive Collection.[9]

Awards[edit]

Works[edit]

Mundell's photographs and poetry appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, American Forests, Poet Lore, Life, and Ladies' Home Journal.[11][3] He published six volumes of poetry:

  • Hill Journey (Stephen Greene Press, 1970)[12]
  • Plowman’s Earth (Stephen Greene Press, 1973)[13]
  • Mundell Country (Stephen Greene Press, 1977)[14]
  • Finding Home (Cooper Hill Books, 1984)[15]
  • A Book of Common Hours (Greenhills Books, 1989)[15]
  • The Fun of Hollerin’ (Cooper Hill Books, 1998)[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Theresa Maggio (photographer), Newfane, Vermont,[e-address for private use,] to Jerry J. Carbone, e-mail, 2 September 2020, "Photo and article on Bill Mundell- permission," privately held by Jerry J. Carbone,[e-address for private use,] Brattleboro, Vermont
  2. ^ a b c d Prince, Bonnie (December 27–28, 1997). "Poet laureate William Mundell Dies at 84". The Brattleboro Reformer. Vol. 85, no. 257. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b Bronk, Thelma (1985-10-30). "Poet William Mundell to speak to Woman's Club". The Brattleboro Reformer. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  4. ^ "U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls, 1798-1958". Ancestry. Records of the U.S. Marine Corps, Record Group 127; National Archives in Washington, D.C. October 1942. p. Roll 0542. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Gallery & Craftsman of Vermont: William D. Mundell". Life. 70 (8): 8–10. March 5, 1971. ISSN 0024-3019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Ski Tow Planned for Slope of Round Mountain West of Town". Brattleboro Reformer. November 2, 1937. p. 1.
  7. ^ "[Ad for Cooper Hill Writers Conference, August 13-27, 1972]". Bennington Banner. April 29, 1972. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  8. ^ "J.R.H. 123. Joint resolution celebrating the remarkable life of Vermont's Poet Laureate and artist extraordinary William D. Mundell". Journal of the Vermont Senate. February 18, 1998.
  9. ^ https://www.wnyc.org/story/william-mundell/
  10. ^ Associated Press (August 15, 1989). "South Newfane Poet Mundell Honored". Rutland Daily Herald (Rutland, Vermont). p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  11. ^ Maggio, Theresa M. (1987-12-14). "William Mundell's poetry reflects his love of Vermont". The Brattleboro Reformer. p. 13. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  12. ^ Ogden, Samuel R (1970). "VL Reports-On Books". Vermont Life. 25–26 (Winter): 53. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  13. ^ Mundell, Daniel (1973). Plowman's Earth. Brattleboro, Vt.
    : Stephen Greene Press.
  14. ^ Morrissey, Charles (1978). "Books of Special Vermont Interest". Vermont Life. 32–33 (Autumn): 39. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Book Reviews". Vermont History. 58–59: 278. 1990. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Book Reviews". Vermont History. 66–67: 78. 1998. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
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