Miller Williams facts for kids

Miller Williams (born April 8, 1930 – died January 1, 2015) was an American poet. A poet is a person who writes poems. He was also a translator, meaning he changed texts from one language to another. And he was an editor, someone who prepares books for publishing.

Miller Williams wrote more than 25 books. He won many awards for his poetry. He is probably most famous for reading a poem at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1997. An inauguration is a special ceremony where a new president officially starts their job. One of his well-known poems was "The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina."

Williams had a health condition called spina bifida, which affects the spine. He passed away in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at the age of 84. He died from Alzheimer's disease, a condition that affects memory and thinking.

Miller Williams: A Poet for All

Miller Williams was born on April 8, 1930. He grew up to become a very important American poet. His words often explored everyday life and feelings. He was known for writing in a way that was easy for many people to understand. He taught poetry at the University of Arkansas for many years. He helped many young writers learn about poetry.

His Published Books

Miller Williams wrote many books of poetry. He also wrote books about how to write poetry. Here are some of his published works:

• A Circle of Stone, 1965
• So Long at the Fair, 1968
• Halfway from Hoxie, 1973
• Why God Permits Evil, 1977
• The Boys on Their Bony Mules, 1983
• Patterns of Poetry, 1986
• Living on the Surface, 1989
• Adjusting to the Light, 1992
• Points of Departure, 1994
• The Ways We Touch: Poems, 1997
• Some Jazz a While: Collected Poems, 1999, ISBN: 978-0-252-06774-7
• Making a Poem: Some Thoughts About Poetry and the People Who Write It, 2006, ISBN: 978-0-8071-3132-9
• Time and the Tilting Earth: Poems, 2008, ISBN: 978-0-8071-3353-8