HIV Transmission Prevention Essays - HIVAIDS, Health, Personal Life

HIV Transmission Prevention The percentage of HIV transmission from mother to child can be prevented in a number of ways. I. The AZT treatment is one way to prevent HIV. A. AZT is a drug that decreases mother to child transmission of HIV. B. AZT is given to the HIV positive mother throughout her pregnancy. II. HIV can be contracted through breast-feeding. A. There is a 14% chance of transmission of HIV from mother to child through breast-feeding. B. There are alternatives to breast-feeding, such as formula and a milk bank. 1. Alternatives to breast-feeding have their bad sides. 2. Breast-feeding can be made safer. III. HIV testing in pregnant women can lower HIV transmission from mother to child. A. HIV testing in pregnant women is a good idea. 1. Mother who knows their HIV status can make informed choices about their pregnancy. 2. Voluntary HIV testing in pregnant women has a very low success rate. 3. Women are scared of the test results. 4. Prenatal HIV testing is less costly than treating the mother and the child for HIV. B. Mandatory testing for HIV in pregnant women also has it's down sides. 1. Women could be scared away from the health care system. 2. Tests may not be confidential. Preventing HIV Transmission from Mother to Child "In 1993, approximately 7,000 HIV-infected women gave birth in the United States. Of those newborns, 1,000 to 2,000 are infected with HIV-now the seventh leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 4" (Gordon and Hooker). HIV in children is becoming more and more widespread and there is still no cure for it. The most common way children contract HIV is through their mother. The percentage of HIV transmission from mother to child can be prevented in a number of ways. One of the ways HIV transmission from mother to child can be prevented is through AZT treatment. AZT is a drug that is given to HIV positive mothers, which can decrease mother to child transmission by 67.5 percent (Gordon and Hooker). The mother is given five doses of AZT a day for the last six months of her pregnancy and then four doses during labor and an AZT syrup is given to the newborn for six weeks after birth (Gordon and Hooker). AZT is the only drug approved for preventing HIV transmission from mother to child ("Women and HIV" 10). Mothers choosing to not breast-feed their children can also prevent HIV transmission. The chance that a newborn can contract HIV from their mother's breast milk is up to 14 percent (Kent). "In October 1995 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's FDA consumer magazine said " Women who are HIV positive should not breast-feed"' (Kent). Even though the percentage of mother to child transmission through breast milk is low, there is still that small chance and any chance that a child could contract HIV is too much. There are alternatives to breast-feeding such as formula or using breast milk from a milk bank (Kent). Though these alternatives are better than taking the chance of transmitting HIV to a child, they too have their bad sides. The use of formula, for example, poses a risk of the newborn getting diarrhea and other life threatening diseases (Kent). Breast milk can be heated to lessen the chances of the child contracting HIV, but there is still that small yet deadly chance. HIV testing in pregnant women could also help stop the transmission of HIV from mother to child. With a mothers knowledge of HIV status she could be counseled appropriately so she could choose whether of not to go on with the pregnancy, fully aware of the risks HIV could pose on her child (Gostin 65). If a mother is unaware that she has HIV the baby is denied the opportunity to get treatment. " It's killing kids who don't have to die" (Gordon and Hooker). At this time HIV testing in pregnant women is voluntary and has a very low success rate. Women won't take the HIV test because they refuse to believe that they are at risk and they are scared of the results (Gordon and Hooker). Making HIV testing mandatory in pregnant women could save a lot of children's lives. Most HIV infected children don't make it to the age of 4 and the rest will f\die before their teens (Gordon and Hooker). Mandatory HIV testing and AZT treatment is also less costly for the Health Care System then treating a mother and her child for HIV for the

Hydro One Essays

Hydro One Essays Hydro One Essay Hydro One Essay Another objective to help this Lana for Formosa is to work out a long-term deal with the unions, preferably around five years. 2) Why are they spending on the Bruce-Milton/ Toronto line and the Smart Meters? As Formosa talked about, the environment is getting to be a bigger issue for the industry. The Smart Meter going hand-in-hand with smart pricing can hopefully reduce use and save customers money, and help customer satisfaction. They also want to bring electricity down from the Bruce nuclear plant on Lake Huron to Milton and the Greater Toronto area because the two nines they have are insufficient. There is a lot of wind generation in the Bruce area. 3) Putting yourself in the shoes of CEO Laura Formosa, what risks does Hydro One face? There are a number of risks that Hydro One faces. One risk includes the uncertainty involving the government, in particular the upcoming election in Ontario. If the ruling party is re-elected, Hydro One would be expected to lead the initiatives despite their adverse impact on the company revenues and earnings. Formosa has doubts whether they can deliver on the governments inspiration goals without compromising its commercial viability. Other risks include the safety issues for the employees, adequate electronic supply, equipment failure, and also issues in the environment. 4) Consider the elements of Hardy Ones ERM process. What are its strengths and weaknesses? What recommendations would you make to overcome the weaknesses about the ERM process? A strength of the ERM process are that it fully involves every aspect of the business. I also like the chart they use to rank each risk involved. Also, there is omelet separation between risk management and the internal audit. This process also gives high visibility and scrutiny, and the idea of reviewing the risk profile regularly is also a smart idea. Some weaknesses of the ERM process includes the fact that only management IS involved in the process. Risk experts arent really involved until the risks have been established by others. Also, only the highest risks have highest priority in terms of finding mitigation option. I would recommend getting the risk experts involved much earlier in the process.

Presentation on Civil War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Presentation on Civil War - Research Paper Example The southern states felt that it was not the right of the government to decide laws of individual states. This would ultimately lead to the southern states attempting to secede from the Union and become their own independent nation separate from the United States. Most people know about the Confederacy, the Union, the slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation, however, there are many other interesting tales and bits of information that most everyone is unfamiliar with and only makes the study of history all the more intriguing. Question: Was the Civil War a war about slavery? Answer: The answer is no. Slavery was only one aspect of the civil war. Although the slavery issue was important to many northerners, however, the unions goal as a whole was to preserve that Union. If the United States could not remain united then we would never survive as a nation. Unfortunately, the southerners saw slaves as property, no more and no less. They could not understand how the federal government c ould interfere in their property issues; they did not interfere in the transaction of other tools and livestock (Kelly ). To them this was a war that had infringed upon their rights as individual states. ... That it would be better if the slaves were freed and then be relocated to South America and islands near Haiti. Lincoln’s representative even went so far as to put a plan into action and relocated a colony to one such island, however, the soil was spoiled, there was little in the way of shelter, and ultimately the idea was abandoned and forgotten in favor of Lincoln’s later Emancipation Proclamation (Gaffney). Question: What kind of weaponry and artillery was used during the American Civil War? Answer: The civil war weaponry included a number of canons and batteries, which are essentially armed wagons, some with as many as 6 barrels apiece, that can do an impressive amount of damage. There were a total of 46 different rifles and dozens of revolvers that were used throughout the war, from Remington’s to Colt’s. By and large, the Union had the advantage when it came to weaponry and artillery, however, the Confederacy had far greater numbers invested than the Union. Sometimes armaments and ammunition would run out. When this happened many soldiers would then resort to the use of sabers and swords (Smithsonian Institute). Story: Did you know that there were submarines in the Civil War? It is true. Many different types of underwater vessels were considered, they proved to be impractical or failed to function. However, both the Union and the Confederacy had successfully designed submarines. The Union decided that their version, called the â€Å"Intelligent Whale,† would not be used in battle; another they purchased from the French, the â€Å"Alligator,† also, never saw battle as it was lost at sea. The Confederate submarine called the â€Å"Hunley,† named for the man that designed it, was forty feet long, but less than four feet in

Critical thinking why guns wont make us safer Essay

Critical thinking why guns wont make us safer - Essay Example there are suggestions from the public that guns enable citizens to protect themselves, this is not the case because, guns continue to be used in domestic violence across the American society. To further prove the need for gun control, studies shows that countries implementing laws related to gun control have realized success in terms of reducing homicides, suicides, domestic violence and other gun related violence or crimes (Trotter 26). Sean Faircloth is correct in his argument that guns will not make the society safer. The infiltration of guns into the hands of the citizens in America, has done more harm than good. Statistics shows that gun ownership has resulted to an increase in homicide which often occur because of domestic violence. In addition guns are used to commit suicide and mentally or psychologically disturbed teenagers are using guns to kill fellow students. In essence, this statistics is an evident that there is need for gun control in the American society to protect c itizens from harm. As argued by Faircloth, it is true that most homicide committed in American homes is mainly contributed by ownership of guns by citizens. Citizens normally acquire guns for safety purposes; however, these guns pose a danger particularly in a spate of anger, either spouse can use a gun in case of an incidence of domestic violence. On the same note, it is true that domestic violence go hand in hand with gun violence and in most cases, it is women who are the victims of gun violence especially in American homes. Most people who own gun in the American society are not insane, the citizens who own guns are stable and their prior intention is to improve the safety of their homes (Faircloth). As reiterated by Faircloth: â€Å"Most citizens who own guns normally do not have an intention to turn against their wives or girlfriends, but in a spate of anger guns can become a tool of lashing out. Shooting another person only takes seconds and one only realizes after the damage

Four Season Hotel in Guangzhou Thesis Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Four Season Hotel in Guangzhou - Thesis Proposal Example This list should be alphabetized and stapled to the back of the proposal form. (You should not attach copies of the publications). Â  The Research Context/background: In this research study, the main focus is on the hidden rationales that affect the service quality and customer loyalty and their relation. This research would try to explain the theory of service quality and customer loyalty. Â  The significance of Study: The aim of this research is to study the relationship between service quality and customer’s loyalty. This is key to increase the loyalty of customers. Service quality and customer loyalty are directly proportional to each other. The greater the quality of service, greater would be the loyalty of the customer to the brand. Â  Theoretical Framework: Service Quality and Loyalty of Customer are key variables of this study. This study envisages identifying the role of service quality in formulating a strategy to attain customer’s loyalty. Â  In the past, many similar research studies have been conducted in hotel and hospitality industry. These studies also tried to unearth the hidden rationales behind the service quality. No study specific to food and beverages department of Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou, China has yet been conducted. So, this research study is different than other research studies in many aspects. This study would shed light on the working of an American hotel chain in a highly competitive market like China. Following are some main points derived from a literature review of similar research studies.

Values Practice Issues Within Mental Health Nursing Practice

Values Practice Issues Within Mental Health Nursing Practice Using the values identified in the attached book (empathy and importance of self expression) review prepare a 2000 word discussion and analysis of values practice issues within mental health nursing practice. Introduction This essay aims to explore some issues around values and practice in mental health nursing. The essay builds upon a previous piece of work undertaken as a formative assignment, a review of a book read by the author, which raised some key points which may be important in mental health nursing practice. The process of uncovering these issues, in response to reviewing and reading a work of fiction, was one which led to a connection of ideas, from what the book presented, and from the author’s personal experience, life experience, and clinical experience and learning to date. The identified issues are to do with compassion, empathy and the importance of self-expression. These are all issues which the author believes are very much taken for granted in everyday life, but which become very significant for users of mental health services, and for mental health service providers, because they affect many areas of the person, their experience, and the therapeutic relationship. This essay will explore these issues in the light of some of the published theory and debate on these topics, and the author’s own point of view and experiences. Discussion It would seem that within mental health nursing, the relationship between the mental health nurse and the client is very important, but this relationship is based on certain values which must underpin nursing care (Eagger et al, 2005), and certain needs or requirements that the client might feel in relation to the nurse. Nurses working within a framework of values is no new thing, and values (and ethics) have always underpinned medicine and healthcare (Eagger et al, 2005). According to Svedberg et al (2003), â€Å"Mental health is created by the interwoven process of one’s relationship to oneself and to others†, which would suggest that the relationships the client forms with anyone involved in supporting mental health are doubly important. The client may find self-expression important for themselves, but also they will require compassion from the mental health nurse. The nurse, in turn, may be challenged by the client’s self-expression, and may find it hard to feel compassion or to empathise with the client at times. One of the challenges of providing compassionate care and even for the mental health nurse to experience compassion is the supposed relationship which some authors have found between perceived suffering and caregiver compassion. Schulz et al (2007) suggest that there are links between perceived suffering and the level of caregiver compassion. If this is the case, then it could be argued that some mental health nurses who do not feel or display compassion are doing so because on some level they do not perceive or believe the client to be truly suffering, or to be worthy of compassion. This would raise an ethical issue, because all the patient’s needs should be met, no matter what the ‘personal’ response to the client. However, this could be a lack of perception on the part of the mental health nurse. Akerjordet and Severinsson (2004) discuss the issue of emotional intelligence in nursing, a concept which affects the nurse-patient relationship, particularly within mental health nursing. Salovey and Mayer (1990) define emotional intelligence as â€Å"the ability to monitor ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide ones thinking and actions† (p 185). In their qualitative study, Akerjordet and Severinsson (2004) found four dominant themes about emotional intelligence in mental health nursing â€Å"relationship with the patient; the substance of supervision; motivation; and responsibility.† This would suggest that emotional intelligence on the part of the nurse is important within mental health nursing. Akerjordet and Severinsson (2004) suggest that emotional intelligence â€Å"stimulates the search for a deeper understanding of a professional mental health nursing identity† and that â€Å"emotional learning and maturation processes are central to professional competence, that is, personal growth and development.† (p 164). Therefore, the mental health nurse would need to develop the emotional intelligence to understand why they are finding it hard to feel compassion for the client, and to take action to remedy this, and to act in a sensitive and supportive way towards the client, even if they do not truly feel compassionate towards them. Shattell et al (2007) carried out research on the therapeutic relationship within mental health services, and found that clients expressed experiences of the therapeutic relationship under the following themes: relate to me, know me as a person, and get to the solution. â€Å"A therapeutic relationship for persons with mental illness requires in-depth personal knowledge, which is acquired only with time, understanding, and skill. Knowing the whole person, rather than knowing the person only as a service recipient.† (Shattell et al, 2007 p 274). This would suggest that the mental health nurse should be motivated to develop an empathy with the client through this knowledge, and should actively engage in seeking out ways to know and to understand the client. This may relate back to the issue of emotional intelligence, because the mental health nurse needs to know themselves very well, and to understand themselves and their professional persona (Akerjordet and Severinsson, 2004) b efore they can then go on to get to know and understand, and empathise with, the client. Hamilton and Roper (2007) discuss the concept of insight, looking at its theoretical underpinnings, and the fact that it is problematic in mental health nursing because it can be difficult to have insight into patient’s experiences of mental illness. Insight is seen as part of the process of getting to know and understand the client, and from this, developing a knowledge of their mental illness, including diagnosing their particular mental illness (Hamilton and Roper, 2007). However, developing this insight is made difficult by problems such as the perceived difference in power between caregiver and client, and the expectations of ‘patient behaviours’ (Hamilton and Roper, 2007). This would suggest that the mental health nurse needs to see each patient as an individual, as unique, and to take the time to truly get to know the person and their experience of mental illness. Definitions of mental illness, and labels, can make this harder, for the nurse, and for the cl ient as well, who fears being reduced to his or her disease rather than being seen as a person who is ill (Hamilton and Roper, 2007; Shattell et al, 2007). Research by Shatell et al (2006) emphasises this point. In their study, clients raised a number of issues around being understood by mental health caregivers, and it was this concept of being understood which seemed most important in developing an effective therapeutic relationship. Some of these concepts include: feeling important; establishing connections, and being on the same level (Shatell et al, 2006). Research by Svedberg et al (2003) found similar results, and in their study â€Å"the patients described how the feeling of mutuality in the relationship with the nurse was important for the promotion of health processes. Mutuality was achieved by doing things together and by having a dialogue with each other.† (p 451). This author feels that these ideals can be properly achieved by mental health nurses who take time to get to know the client and who develop empathy with the client through focusing attention on them. The patients wanted to feel understood in Shatell et alà ¢â‚¬â„¢s (2006) study. â€Å" Feeling important was a major consequence of being understood. Being understood made patients feel like human beings rather than being treated like a number or being treated like in a factory. Participants wanted to be treated like human beings, not as sick, mentally ill persons; like persons, not a set of diagnoses â€Å" (Shatell et al, 2006 p 237). This could be viewed as a consequence of the compassion and self-awareness of the nurse as a professional, and of their ability to see the client as an individual, to not be prejudiced by anything about them, especially not their illness. This is very important. This author believes that compassion and empathy develop through getting to know the client properly, and that these all enhance the therapeutic relationship. Shatell et al (2006) also suggest that clients feel important when they know the nurse has been thinking of them at times other than face to face contact, and this is something to think of for practice, particularly in relation to the conversations that nurses have with patients. It is also important that mental health nurses develop proper listening skills, which would also allow them to develop compassionate understanding, and support the client in expressing themselves (Freshwater, 2006). Encouraging self-expression is an important part of nurses getting to know their patients, it would seem, but self-expression is not easy for many people. People with mental illness are often negotiating a range of different sense of what constitutes their ‘self’ (Meehan and Machlachlan, 2008). â€Å" For example, a professional woman becomes a mother and wife or ‘homemaker’ when she leaves the office for home. In changing from one self to another type, her multiple self voices renegotiate their hierarchy and positions and create a coherent self story consistent with the role of mother and wife.† (Meehan and Machlachlan, 2008). These negotiations can be problematic for the person with mental illness, and this just provides one example of how complex understanding the self can be, which makes self-expression similarly challenging. Yet it would be worthwhile to develop activities and actions which would sup port this. It may be that there are ways that mental health nurses can encourage or support self-expression and the development of caregiver understanding of the client. For example, Raingruber (2004) discusses the use of poetry in child and adolescent mental health, as a means of self-expression, arguing that poetry has the power to allow clients to develop self awareness and to express their feelings. Raingruber (2004) suggests that â€Å"The complexity, power, and beauty of language within poetry allow the expression of intense human experiences† (p 14). While there are drawbacks and limitations to the therapeutic use of poetry, it might be that this offers one kind of opportunity for self-expression, on the part of the client, and empathy, on the part of the mental health nurse. â€Å" When an appropriate moment arises, poetry should be used to help clinicians, nursing students, and clients become more aware of and open to possibilities.† (Raingruber, 2004 p 16). However, this author believes that the mental health nurse would need some skills in this area, or to be someone who is perhaps comfortable with using or writing poetry themselves, if they were to use it to any great extent with clients. Feen-Calligan et al (2008) make similar assertions about using visual art in supporting mental health users who are substance misusers. Feen Calligan et al (2008) found that â€Å"As the women learned to verbalize their feelings and reflect on their situations through interpretative interactions with visual art, they gained insight into their feelings and issues they faced in their recovery from chemical dependency.† (p 287). This research seems to show that using visual art and image processing allowed the women to fully express their feelings in ways they had not been able to before (Feen-Calligan et al, 2008). Again, some kind of knowledge or skill on the part of the nurse would be necessary. Both of these examples are of arts-related activities, and relate strongly back to the formative assessment and book review. It might be that there is great scope within mental health nursing to encourage self-knowledge, self-expression and mutuality through the use of creative arts an d fiction. Certainly this would provide a way for nurses to relate to clients more readily, to be on their level, and to talk in terms and metaphors that they are familiar with. Conclusion It would seem that underpinning mental health nursing are a number of core values which need to be more explicit in the discourses around the profession and in the practices of those within it. Svedberg et al (2003) state: â€Å"The most important goal of nursing care is to promote the subjective experience of health. The health promoting efforts of mental health care nurses must be aimed at creating encounters where the patient will be confirmed both existentially and as an individual worthy of dignity.† (p 448). The core values of mental health nursing should orientate towards this kind of confirmation of worth on the part of the healthcare provider for the client. Eagger et al (2005) state: â€Å"Organisations, too, would benefit from a clear, values-based statement that staff at all levels can identify with. Institutions encouraging a culture of care can contribute significantly towards creating a healing environment for staff as well as patients.† ( p 28). This would be particularly relevant for mental health nursing and mental health services, and might signify and important area for future practice development. Undertaking this exploration has shown to the author the need for self-awareness and emotional intelligence on the part of mental health nurses, as a prerequisite for developing true compassion and empathy. Fostering self-expression amongst mental health services users, providing opportunities for this, and supporting them by paying attention and understanding them, is also important. While some experiences so far might suggest that in certain contexts and situations, this might be difficult to achieve, it should be the goal that we all strive for, and these are core values which should underpin all of our practice. References 214727 Akerjordet, K. and Severinsson, E. (2004) Emotional intelligence in mental health nurses talking about practice International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 13 (3) 164-170 Benner, P. 2000. The wisdom of our practice: thoughts on the art and intangibility of caring practice. American Journal of Nursing. 100(10):99-105 Busfield, J. 2000 Rethinking the Sociology of Mental Health, Blackwell, London Castledine, G. 2005. Recognizing care and compassion in nursing. British Journal of Nursing. 14(18):1001 Eagger, S., Desser, A. and Brown, C. (2005) Learning values in healthcare? Journal of Holistic Healthcare 2 (3) Feen-Calligan, H., Washington, O. and Moxley, D.P. (2008) Use of artwork as a visual processing modality in group treatment of chemically dependent minority women. The Arts in Psychotherapy 25 287-295. Freshwater, D. (2006) The art of listening in the therapeutic relationship. Mental Health Practice 9 (5). Hamilton, B. and Roper, C. (2006) Troubling ‘insight’: power and possibilities in mental health care. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 13 416-422. Meehan, T. and MacLachlan, M. (2008) Self construction in schizophrenia: a discourse analysis. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory Research and Practice 81 131-142. Pilgrim, A. Rogers, D. 2005 Sociology of mental health and illness 3rd edition. OUP, Buckingham Salovey, P. Mayer, J.D. (1990) Emotional intelligence Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 9, 185-211 Schulz, R., Hebert, R.S. and Dew, M.A. (2007) Patient Suffering and Caregiver Compassion: New Opportunities for Research, Practice, and Policy. Gerontologist, v47 n1 p4-13 2007 Raingruber, B. (2004) Using poetry to discover and share significant meanings in child and adolescent mental health nursing. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing 17 (1) 13-20. Shattell, M., Starr, S. and Thomas, S.P. (2007) Take my hand, help me out: Mental health service recipients experience of the therapeutic relationship. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 16(4):274-284. Shattell, M., McAllister,S., Hogan, B. and Thomas, S.P. (2006) â€Å"She took the time to make sure she understood.† Mental Health Patients’ Experiences of Being Understood. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing 20 (5) 234-241. Svedberg, P., Jormfeldt, H. and Arvidsson, B. (2003) Patient’s conceptions of how health processes are promoted in mental health nursing. A qualitative study. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 10 448-456.

Richard Wilbur Essay -- Biography

â€Å"It is true that the poet does not directly address his neighbors; but he does address a great congress of persons who dwell at the back of his mind, a congress of all those who have taught him and whom he has admired; that constitute his ideal audience and his better self† (â€Å"Richard Wilbur†, National Book Foundation). Richard Wilbur spoke this famous quote at his National Book Award speech in 1957. Many of the events in Wilbur’s life transitioned to his acceptance of this award, but he did not know what direction his life was going in at the time. From the events in his early childhood learning how to write from his maternal grandfather and great-grandfather, to his later becoming a World War II veteran and getting a degree from Harvard University, and everything in-between, Richard Wilbur spent the rest of his life creating a breathtaking assortment of poems which largely connected to his early life. Richard Wilbur’s birth and early life led to his first spark of interest in writing at a young age when he met his grandfather and great-grandfather. He was born on March 1st, 1921 in New York City, New York (Haralson 759). Richard lived in North Caldwell, New Jersey for the rest of his pastoral childhood with his middle-class family (Gioia). They resided on a large property and they did not have many neighbors (Gioia). He enjoyed wandering off to random places on the property with his brothers, and he enjoyed the nature, which inspired some of his later poetry (Gioia).Wilbur’s maternal grandfather and his great-grandfather were both editors and Wilbur began to acquire a love for journalism stronger than his love for painting like his father (â€Å"Richard Wilbur†, Poetry Foundation). He enjoyed the company of his grandfather and gre... ...people think more about the life in which they live everyday. His poems connected to his life, e.g. the poems about nature in The Beautiful Changes connected to his life on a large property and its connections to his time on the battlefield. Wilbur closed out his National Book Award acceptance speech by saying: â€Å"Writing poetry, then, is an unsocial way of manufacturing a thoroughly social product. Because he must shield his poetry in its creation, the poet, more than other writers, will write without recognition. And because his product is not in great demand, he is likely to look on honors and distinctions with the feigned indifference of the wallflower. Yet of course he is pleased when recognition comes; for what better proof is there that for some people poetry is still a useful and necessary thing -- like a shoe† (â€Å"Richard Wilbur†, National Book Foundation). Richard Wilbur Essay -- Biography â€Å"It is true that the poet does not directly address his neighbors; but he does address a great congress of persons who dwell at the back of his mind, a congress of all those who have taught him and whom he has admired; that constitute his ideal audience and his better self† (â€Å"Richard Wilbur†, National Book Foundation). Richard Wilbur spoke this famous quote at his National Book Award speech in 1957. Many of the events in Wilbur’s life transitioned to his acceptance of this award, but he did not know what direction his life was going in at the time. From the events in his early childhood learning how to write from his maternal grandfather and great-grandfather, to his later becoming a World War II veteran and getting a degree from Harvard University, and everything in-between, Richard Wilbur spent the rest of his life creating a breathtaking assortment of poems which largely connected to his early life. Richard Wilbur’s birth and early life led to his first spark of interest in writing at a young age when he met his grandfather and great-grandfather. He was born on March 1st, 1921 in New York City, New York (Haralson 759). Richard lived in North Caldwell, New Jersey for the rest of his pastoral childhood with his middle-class family (Gioia). They resided on a large property and they did not have many neighbors (Gioia). He enjoyed wandering off to random places on the property with his brothers, and he enjoyed the nature, which inspired some of his later poetry (Gioia).Wilbur’s maternal grandfather and his great-grandfather were both editors and Wilbur began to acquire a love for journalism stronger than his love for painting like his father (â€Å"Richard Wilbur†, Poetry Foundation). He enjoyed the company of his grandfather and gre... ...people think more about the life in which they live everyday. His poems connected to his life, e.g. the poems about nature in The Beautiful Changes connected to his life on a large property and its connections to his time on the battlefield. Wilbur closed out his National Book Award acceptance speech by saying: â€Å"Writing poetry, then, is an unsocial way of manufacturing a thoroughly social product. Because he must shield his poetry in its creation, the poet, more than other writers, will write without recognition. And because his product is not in great demand, he is likely to look on honors and distinctions with the feigned indifference of the wallflower. Yet of course he is pleased when recognition comes; for what better proof is there that for some people poetry is still a useful and necessary thing -- like a shoe† (â€Å"Richard Wilbur†, National Book Foundation).