VERMONT POET AND PLAYWRIGHT David Budbill died this past September at the age of seventy-six. He had a rare form of Parkinson’s disease.
A self-described “mountain recluse,” Budbill modeled his life and work in part on those of the ancient Chinese hermit poets he admired. Though his poems sometimes contained references to Eastern philosophy, he wrote in a simple, accessible style.
In addition to his plays and other works, Budbill left behind eight books of poetry, including Judevine: The Complete Poems, While We’ve Still Got Feet, and Happy Life. A posthumous collection, Tumbling toward the End, will come out this year from Copper Canyon Press. He was a regular commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered, and his work was often featured on Garrison Keillor’s daily radio show and podcast The Writer’s Almanac.
