Walt McDonald

Walter Robert McDonald was an American poet and former professor. He served as Poet [Laureate of Texas] in 2001. In May 2002, he retired from Texas [Tech University] as "Paul Whitfield Horn Professor of English" and "Poet in Residence".

Career

After graduating from Texas Technological College and service in the United States Air Force in Vietnam, McDonald received a PhD from the University of Iowa.
McDonald's 23 books of poetry—published by Harper & Row and university presses such as Ohio State; Notre Dame; Massachusetts; Pittsburgh; Texas Christian; Texas Tech—include Faith Is A Radical Master, 'Night Landing,' and A Thousand Miles of Stars. Before joining the faculty at Texas Tech University, he was a pilot in the Air Force and also taught at the Air Force Academy.
Some of his experiences as a pilot are reflected in his verses.