Analyzing Wilbur's Orchard Trees, January Reading one of Richard Wilbur's poems, one can become extremely confused while trying to find the true meaning of the poem. Someone could take the easy way out and not try to delve into the poem to find its true meaning, or one could investigate the poem and find out what Wilbur is trying to convey to the reader. In “Orchard Trees, January,” you might pick up on what Wilbur is trying to say if you take the time to think about it. In some of his poems, however, it is almost impossible to know what he is talking about. Only Wilbur's own interpretation could help those who are completely baffled by one of his poems. Authors often write their poems on the spur of the moment, and the mood the poet is in reflects the meaning of the poem. Centenary College was fortunate to have Richard Wilbur come to school and explain many of his poems. This helps analyze Wilbur's poems. When you read "Orchard Trees, January," it seems like you're talking about how a tree survives the harsh winter until spring arrives, when it appears new and fresher than ever. Looking deeper into the poem, there are details that can be extracted from it, which is probably what Wilbur wants to be known. In the poem, it appears that someone is inside his house and is looking out at a tree. The person marvels at how the tree can withstand the cold, continuous snow, and other harsh conditions that winter brings. Observed during winter days by the person at the window, the bark of the tree remains strong, despite the fact that the winter snow has managed to penetrate it. The tree freezes, but is strong enough to live through the winter until spring eases its suffering. When spring finally arrives, the effects of winter can no longer harm the tree. The freezing phase has passed and the tree can give new life and growth in spring. The true meaning of this poem can only be perfectly interpreted by Wilbur himself. In "Orchard Trees, January", it seems that the interpretation given above is correct, although Wilbur may have some different stress points. There is probably an even deeper meaning in this poem that Wilbur could convey, but most of the time it is up to the reader to be able to locate it and connect it to the poem..