Kirkus, Virginia. "Two Young Poets." Bulletin from Virginia Kirkus' Bookshop Service 15, no. 20 (15 October 1947): 594 (.pdf).

Two Young Poets

Wilbur, Richard            THE BEAUTIFUL CHANGES (10/29)            Reynal & Hitchcock
Reed, Henry                   A MAP OF VERONA (10/8)                               Each $2.00

The war continues to to evolve a series of poetic responses from the young and sensitive who took part in it. On the forge of that tremendous conflict poetic sparks were hammered out - brilliant, arresting, but it is difficult to say whether they are mere sparks or forerunners of a bigger flame. . . . . It is so with these two poets, Wilbur, in THE BEAUTIFUL CHANGES and Reed in A MAP OF VERONA. Both are sensitive, gifted, with a fine ear and fine sense of words and fancy. Both saw battle in the European theatre and have written out of their experiences. Both too have written peoms [sic] inspired by love and unconnected with war. Of the two, Wilbur is more delicate and fanciful, his verse form more original if not always successful. The title poem which appears at the end of the volume is a poem of rare and exquisite insight. . . . Reed if the more intellectual of the two, has a firm grasp of the poetic technique, he is more concrete and more vigorous and has a fine sense of irony. He seems therefore more of a force. Neither of these slender volumes will attract much attention outside poetry lovers and those alert to new talent. To the latter, both of these young men are worth watching. They may well go further.