Initially, poetry critics rejected the poem since it does not follow the traditional poetry that uses rhyme and meter.

From the start of his writing career, Jarrell earned a solid reputation as an influential poetry critic.

Randall Jarrell was the best poetry critic of his time, but of course he wanted to be the best poet.

Jarrell was the most respected - and the most feared - poetry critic of his time, and occasionally wrote about fiction as well.

His work as a poetry critic is distinguished by the extreme generosity of his reviews and criticism.

He is poetry critic for the Seattle Times.

He was also a poetry critic for The Observer, and the Sunday Independent from 1985-1990.

The New York Times has called him "one of the most influential poetry critics of his generation."

He had pancreatic cancer, said Tom Clark, a poet and poetry critic.

"I've never thought poetry critics ought to be publicity agents by another name," he explained in an e-mail message.