Alfred Joyce Kilmer

Sgt. Joyce Kilmer, as a member of the 69th Volunteer Infantry Unit, circa 1918.
Born:	6 December 1886. New Brunswick, New Jersey (USA)
Died:	30 July 1918 near Seringes, France
Occupation:	poet, journalist, editor, lecturer, soldier
Nationality:	American
Writing period:	1909-1918
Genres:	poetry, literary criticism, catholicism
Influences:	Gerard Manley Hopkins William Butler Yeats Coventry Patmore
Signature:

Alfred Joyce Kilmer (6 December 1886 – 30 July 1918) was an American journalist, poet, literary critic, lecturer and editor. Though a prolific poet whose works celebrated the common beauty of the natural world as well as his religious faith, Kilmer is remembered most for a poem entitled "Trees" (1913) which was published in the collection Trees and Other Poems in 1914. While most of his works are unknown, a select few of his poems remain popular and are published frequently in anthologies. Several critics, both Kilmer's contemporaries and modern scholars, disparaged Kilmer's work as being too simple, overly sentimental, and that his style was far too traditional, even archaic. Image File history File links Joyce_Kilmer. ... December 6 is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: Location of New Brunswick in Middlesex County Coordinates: Country United States of America State New Jersey County Middlesex Established December 30, 1730 Incorporated September 1, 1784 Government  - Type Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)  - Mayor James Cahill Area  - City  5. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... For the album by the Kaiser Chiefs see Employment (album) Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ... In English usage, nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a country. ... A literary genre is one of the divisions of literature into genres according to particular criteria such as literary technique, tone, or content. ... The Best ideal is the true/ And other truth is none. ... William Butler Yeats, 1933 photograph, author unknown. ... Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore (July 23, 1823 - November 26, 1896) was an English poet and critic. ... December 6 is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... The poor poet A poet is a person who writes poetry. ... Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. ... A lecture on linear algebra at the Helsinki University of Technology A lecture is an oral presentation intended to teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. ... Editing may also refer to audio editing or film editing. ...

At the time of his deployment to Europe during the first World War (1914-1918), Kilmer was considered the leading American Roman Catholic poet and lecturer of his generation, whom critics often compared to British contemporaries G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) and Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953).^[1][2][3] A sergeant in the 69th Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Kilmer was killed at the Second Battle of Marne in 1918 at the age of 31. “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Gilbert Keith Chesterton (May 29, 1874–June 14, 1936) was an influential English writer of the early 20th century. ... Photograph of Belloc Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc (27 July 1870 – 16 July 1953) was one of the most prolific writers in England during the early twentieth century. ... The 69th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), New York National Guard is a combat unit out of New York City and part of the 42nd Rainbow Division. ... The Second Battle of the Marne, was a World War I battle fought from July 15 to July 18, 1918 near the Marne River. ...

Biography

Early years: 1886-1908

Kilmer was born on 6 December 1886 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the fourth and youngest child^[a] of Annie Ellen Kilburn (1849–1932) and Dr. Frederick Barnett Kilmer (1851–1934), a physician and analytical chemist employed by the Johnson and Johnson Company and inventor of the company's baby powder.^[4][5][6] Joyce was named Alfred Joyce Kilmer after Alfred R. Taylor, the curate; and the Rev. Dr. Elisha Brooks Joyce (1857–1926), the rector of Christ Church, the oldest Episcopalian parish in New Brunswick, where the Kilmer family were parishioners.^[7][8] Rector Joyce, who served the parish from 1883 to 1916, baptised the young Kilmer.^[9] Kilmer's birthplace in New Brunswick, where the Kilmer family lived from 1886 to 1892, is still standing, and houses a small museum to Kilmer, as well as a few Middlesex County government offices.^[10] December 6 is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: Location of New Brunswick in Middlesex County Coordinates: Country United States of America State New Jersey County Middlesex Established December 30, 1730 Incorporated September 1, 1784 Government  - Type Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)  - Mayor James Cahill Area  - City  5. ... Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is a global American pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. ... Talcum Powder Baby powder is an astringent powder used for preventing rashes on the area covered by a diaper (see diaper rash). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Anglicanism is the term used to encapsulate... Middlesex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

Kilmer entered the Rutgers College Grammar School (now Rutgers Preparatory School) in 1895 at the age of 8. During his years at the Grammar School, he... Rutgers Preparatory School (also known as Rutgers Prep or RPS) is a private, co-educational day school located in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, New Jersey. ...

"...won the Lane prize in public speaking and was editor-in-chief of the Argo, the school paper. He loved the classics, although he had considerable difficulty with Greek. In his last year at Rutgers, he won the first Lane Classical Prize, a free scholarship for the academic course at Rutgers College, and one hundred dollars in money. Despite his difficulties with mathematics and Greek, he stood at the head of his class in preparatory school."^[11]

After graduating from the Rutgers College Grammar School in 1904, he continued his education at Rutgers College from 1904 to 1906. At Rutgers, Kilmer was associate editor of the Targum, the campus newspaper and a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Unable to complete the rigorous mathematics requirement in the curriculum at Rutgers, facing a repeat of his sophomore year and under pressure from his mother, Kilmer transferred to Columbia College of Columbia University in New York City.^[12] “Rutgers” redirects here. ... The Daily Targum is the official student newspaper of Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. ... A student newspaper is a newspaper run by university or high or middle school students that covers local and in particular school/university news. ... Delta Upsilon (ΔΥ) is an international exclusively male fraternity, founded in 1834, which is committed to Building Better Men through their four founding principles: friendship, character, culture, & justice. ... Columbia College is the main undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the universitys main campus of Morningside Heights in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York. ...

At Columbia, Kilmer was vice-president of the Philolexian Society, associate editor of Columbia Spectator, the campus newspaper, and was a member of the Debating Union. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree and was graduated from Columbia on 23 May 1908.^[13] Shortly after graduation, on 9 June 1908, he married Aline Murray (1888–1941), a fellow poet to whom he had been engaged since his sophomore year at Rutgers.^[14][15] The Kilmers had five children: Kenton Sinclair Kilmer (1909–1995), Michael Barry Kilmer (1916–1927), Deborah ("Sister Michael") Clanton Kilmer (1914–1999) who was a Catholic nun at the Saint Benedict’s Monastery, Rose Kilburn Kilmer (1912–1917), and Christopher Kilmer (1917–1984).^[5][16] The Philolexian Society of Columbia University in the City of New York is one of the oldest collegiate literary societies in the United States, and the oldest student group at Columbia. ... The Columbia Daily Spectator is the daily newspaper, written by Columbia University undergraduates, servicing the university community and the neighborhood of Morningside Heights. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Aline Murray Kilmer (1 August 1888 in Norfolk, Virginia – 1 October 1941 in Stillwater, New Jersey), was an American poet, childrens book author, and essayist, and the wife and widow of poet and journalist Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918). ...

Years of writing and faith: 1909-1917

Shortly after his marriage and graduation from Columbia, Kilmer sought teaching positions. In the Autumn of 1908, Kilmer obtained a position teaching Latin in Morristown, New Jersey, and finding that teaching did not demand much of his time, he found considerable time to dedicate to writing. At this time, he submitted essays to Red Cross Notes (including his first published piece, an essay on the "Psychology of Advertising") and poems to Moods, Smart Set, The Sun, The Pathfinder and The Bang. In addition to all this, he wrote book reviews for The Literary Digest, Town & Country, The Nation, and The New York Times. By June 1909, Kilmer had abandoned any aspirations to continue teaching and relocated to New York City, the literary and publishing mecca of the United States, deciding to focus solely on a career as a writer.^[17] Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Nickname: Military Capital of the Revolution Location of Morristown in Morris County (L); Location of Morris County in New Jersey (R) Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Morris Founded 1715 Incorporated 1865 Mayor Donald Cresitello (D; term ends December 31, 2009. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Town & Country is an American magazine focusing on high society and fashion. ... The Nation (ISSN 0027-8378) is a weekly [1] U.S. periodical devoted to politics and culture, self-described as the flagship of the left. [2] Founded on July 6, 1865 as an Abolitionist publication, it is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

From 1909 to 1912, Kilmer was employed by Funk and Wagnalls. which was preparing an edition of The Standard Dictionary. According to Hillis, Funk and Wagnalls is a publisher based in New York City. ...

"[Kilmer's] job was to define ordinary words assigned to him at five cents for each word defined. This was a job at which one would ordinarily earn ten to twelve dollars a week, but Kilmer attacked the task with such vigor and speed that it was soon thought wisest to put him on a regular salary."^[18]

Shortly after the publication of The Standard Dictionary in 1912, Kilmer became a special writer for the New York Times Review of Books and the New York Times Sunday Magazine and was often engaged in lecturing. Kilmer and his family then moved to Mahwah, New Jersey, where he resided until his service and death in World War I. Kilmer at this time was established as a published poet, and as a popular lecturer. According to Robert Holliday, Kilmer "frequently neglected to make any preparation for his speeches, not even choosing a subject until the beginning of the dinner which was to culminate in a specimen of his oratory. His constant research for the dictionary, and, later on, for his New York Times articles, must have given him a store of knowledge at his fingertips to be produced at a moment's notice for these emergencies."^[19] The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Map highlighting Mahwahs location within Bergen County. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Joyce Kilmer circa 1910-1915

In 1911, Kilmer's first book of verse, entitled Summer of Love was published. Kilmer would later write that "...some of the poems in it, those inspired by genuine love, are not things of which to be ashamed, and you, understanding, would not be offended by the others."^[20]

The Kilmers' daughter Rose (1912–1917) was stricken with Poliomyelitis (also known as infantile paralysis) shortly after birth. The Kilmers turned to their religious faith, and in correspondence between Joyce Kilmer and Father James J. Daly, Joyce and Aline began a conversion to Roman Catholicism into which they were received in 1913. In one of these letters, Kilmer writes: This article is about the disease. ... Faith has two general implications which can be implied either exclusively or mutually; To Trust: Believing a certain variable will act a specific way despite the potential influence of known or unknown change. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

"Of course you understand my conversion. I am beginning to understand it. I believed in the Catholic position, the Catholic view of ethics and aesthetics, for a long time. But I wanted something not intellectual, some conviction not mental - in fact I wanted Faith.

"Just off Broadway, on the way from the Hudson Tube Station to the Times Building, there is a Church, called the Church of the Holy Innocents. Since it is in the heart of the Tenderloin, this name is strangely appropriate - for there surely is need of youth and innocence. Well, every morning for months I stopped on my way to the office and prayed in this Church for faith. When faith did come, it came, I think, by way of my little paralyzed daughter. Her lifeless hands led me; I think her tiny feet know beautiful paths. You understand this and it gives me a selfish pleasure to write it down."^[21][22]

The year 1913 approached Kilmer in trials of suffering and faith but also in success. With the publication of "Trees" in the magazine Poetry, Kilmer gained immense popularity as a poet across the United States. At this time his popularity and success as a lecturer, particularly one seeking to reach a Catholic audience, led Robert Holliday to write: "It is not an unsupported assertion to say that he was in his time and place the laureate of the Catholic Church."^[23] Trees and Other Poems (1914) was published the following year. The next few years saw an immense output of work, with Kilmer continuing his lecturing, his literary criticism and essays, writing poetry, and finding the time in 1915 to become poetry editor of Current Literature and contributing editor of Warner's Library of the World's Best Literature. After the publication of The Circus and Other Essays in 1916, the following year would see the publication of three books, Literature in the Making, Main Street and Other Poems, and Dreams and Images: An Anthology of Catholic Poets. An up close image of the East face of One Times Square. ... Tenderloin was a neighborhood of the West Side of Manhattan north and east of Chelsea on the far West Side, which stretched south to West 14th Street and up to West 57th Street, from the mid 1800s to the 1920s. ... Poetry, published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. ...

War years: 1917-1918

Within a few days after the United States declared war on Germany and entered the first World War in April 1917, Kilmer enlisted in the Seventh Regiment of the New York National Guard. In August, Kilmer was initially assigned as a statistician with the 69th Volunteer Infantry Regiment (better known as the "Fighting 69th" and later redesignated the 165th Infantry Regiment), of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division, and quickly rose to the rank of Sergeant. Though he was eligible for commission as an officer and often recommended for such posts during the course of the war, Kilmer refused stating that he would rather be a sergeant in the Fighting 69th than an officer in any other regiment.^[24] “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Seal of the National Guard Bureau Seal of the Army National Guard Seal of the Air National Guard Seal of the National Guard Missile Defense The United States National Guard is a component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air... The 69th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), New York National Guard is a combat unit out of New York City and part of the 42nd Rainbow Division. ... The 69th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), New York National Guard is a combat unit out of New York City and part of the 42nd Rainbow Division. ... The 42d Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II, and is the division of the New York National Guard. ... Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organisations around the world. ...

In September, before Kilmer was deployed, the Kilmer family was met with both with the contrary emotions of tragedy and rejoicing. The Kilmer's daughter Rose had died, and twelve days later, their son Christopher was born.^[25] Kilmer sailed to Europe with his regiment on 31 October 1917, arriving in France two weeks later. Before his departure, Kilmer had contracted with publishers to write a book about the war, deciding upon the title Here and There with the Fighting Sixty-Ninth. Kilmer wrote home, stating "I have not written anything in prose or verse since I got here - except statistics - but I've stored up a lot of memories to turn into copy when I get a chance."^[26] Unfortunately, Kilmer never was to write such a book. During his time in Europe, Kilmer did write prose sketches and poetry, most notably the poem "Rouge Bouquet", which was written after the First Battalion of the 42nd Division, which had been occupying the Rouge Bouquet forest northeast of the French village of Baccarat, which at the time was a quiet sector of the front—was struck by a heavy artillery bombardment on the afternoon of 12 March 1918 that buried 21 men of the unit, of which 14 remained entombed.^[27][28][29] is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... Baccarat is a town in France of about 5000 inhabitants in the Department of Meurthe-et-Moselle in the south of the region of Lorraine. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Kilmer sought more hazardous duty and was transferred to the Regimental Intelligence Section, in April 1918. He wrote to his wife, Aline that, "Now I'm doing work I love - and work you may be proud of. None of the drudgery of soldiering, but a double share of glory and thrills."^[30] According to Hillis: Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int. ...

"Kilmer's companions wrote: "He was worshipped by the men about him. I have heard them speak with awe of his coolness and his nerve in scouting patrols in No Man's Land.” This coolness and his habit of choosing, with typical enthusiasm, the most dangerous and difficult missions, led to his death."^[31]

During the Second Battle of Marne, there was heavy fighting throughout the last days of July 1918, and on 30 July 1918, Kilmer volunteered to accompany Major William "Wild Bill" Donovan when Donovan's First Battalion was sent to lead the day's attack. The Second Battle of the Marne, was a World War I battle fought from July 15 to July 18, 1918 near the Marne River. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... For other people with similar names, see Wild Bill Major General William Joseph Donovan, KBE United States Army (January 1, 1883 – February 8, 1959) was an American soldier, lawyer and intelligence officer, best remembered today as wartime head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). ...

During the course of the day, Kilmer led a scouting party to find the position of a German machine gun position. When his comrades found him, some time later, they thought at first that he was peering over the edge of a little hill, where he had crawled for a better view. When he did not answer their call, they ran to him and found him dead. According to Father Duffy wrote: “A bullet had pierced his brain. His body was carried in and buried by the side of Ames. God rest his dear and gallant soul.”^[32] Kilmer died, likely immediately, from a sniper's bullet to the head near Muercy Farm, beside the Oureq River near the village of Seringes, in France, on 30 July 1918 at the age of 31. For his valor, Kilmer was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) by the French Republic.^[33] is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of both Belgium and France which was first created in 1915. ...

Kilmer was buried in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial, near Fere-en-Tardenois, Aisne, Picardy, France. Although Kilmer is buried in France in an American military cemetery, a cenotaph is located on the Kilmer family plot in Elmwood Cemetery, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The Oise-Aisne Cemetery lies one and a half miles east of Fère-en-Tardenois, Aisne, Picardy, France and about fourteen miles northeast of Château-Thierry. ... Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ... wazzup Categories: | ... The Cenotaph, London A ceremony at the Cenotaph, London, on Sunday 12th June 2005, remembering Irish war dead Memorial Cenotaph, Hiroshima, Japan A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere. ... Elmwood Cemetery The Elmwood Cemetery is located at 425 Georges Road in New Brunswick, New Jersey on the border of North Brunswick, New Jersey. ... Nickname: Location of New Brunswick in Middlesex County Coordinates: Country United States of America State New Jersey County Middlesex Established December 30, 1730 Incorporated September 1, 1784 Government  - Type Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)  - Mayor James Cahill Area  - City  5. ...

"Trees"

Though a prolific poet, Joyce Kilmer is chiefly known for a poem entitled "Trees" published in a collection entitled Trees and Other Poems (1914) after debuting in Poetry magazine in August 1913. The poem was written on 2 February 1913, in the Kilmer home in Mahwah, New Jersey.^[34] Other sources, which state it was written in Chicago, are unsubstantiated. "Trees" has been given several musical settings that were quite popular in the 1940s and 1950s, the most popular written by Oscar Rasbach in 1922, with renditions performed by Ernestine Schumann-Heink, John Charles Thomas, Nelson Eddy, Robert Merrill and Paul Robeson. Poetry, published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Map highlighting Mahwahs location within Bergen County. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Ernestine Schumann-Heink (15 June 1861 - 17 November 1936) was a well-known operatic contralto, noted for the great control, tone, beauty, and wide range of her singing. ... John Charles Thomas was an American baritone known for his exuberant singing style and powerful voice. ... Nelson Eddy Nelson Ackerman Eddy (born June 29, 1901; died March 6, 1967) was an American singer who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. ... Robert Merrill (June 4, 1917 – October 23, 2004) was an American opera baritone. ... Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was a multi-lingual American actor, athlete, bass-baritone concert singer, writer, civil rights activist, Communist sympathizer, Spingarn Medal winner, and Lenin Peace Prize laureate. ...

The text stated below is the original written by Kilmer.

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

There have been several variations on the text, including many parody texts substituted to mimic Kilmer's seemingly simple rhyme and meter. Of the often repeated parodies, one of the most known is "Song of the Open Road" by Ogden Nash (1902–1971) in which Nash wrote: In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... A rhyme is a repetition of identical or similar terminal sounds in two or more different words (i. ... The metre, or meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... Frederic Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) was an American poet best known for writing pithy and funny light verse. ...

I think that I shall never see

A billboard lovely as a tree.

Indeed, unless the billboards fall,

I'll never see a tree at all.^[35]

Inspiration

According to Kilmer's son, Kenton, the poem—which was not inspired by any tree in particular but about trees in general—was written "...in an upstairs bedroom... which served as Mother's and Dad's bedroom and also as Dad's office.... The window looked out down a hill, on our well-wooded lawn - trees of many kinds, from mature trees to thin saplings: oaks, maples, black and white birches, and I do not know what else."^[36] However, a 1915 interview with Kilmer "pointed out that while Kilmer might be widely known for his affection for trees, his affection was certainly not sentimental - the most distinguished feature of Kilmer's property was a colossal woodpile outside his home. The house stood in the middle of a forest and what lawn it possessed was obtained only after Kilmer had spent months of weekend toil in chopping down trees, pulling up stumps, and splitting logs. Kilmer's neighbors had difficulty in believing that a man who could do that could also be a poet."^[37]

Many locations across the United States maintain legends that certain trees in their localities inspired Kilmer to write the poem. Most noted among them is the tradition in Kilmer's birthplace, New Brunswick, New Jersey, which states that Kilmer wrote the poem "Trees" after a large white oak (Quercus alba) tree that was located on the outskirts of town on the campus of Cook College (now known as the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences), at Rutgers University.^[38] This tree, estimated to be over three hundred years old, was so weakened by age and disease that it had to be removed in 1963.^[39] Currently, saplings from acorns of the historic tree are being grown at the site, throughout the Middlesex County area, and in major arboretums around the United States. The remains of the original Kilmer Oak are currently kept in storage at Rutgers University.^[40][41] Nickname: Location of New Brunswick in Middlesex County Coordinates: Country United States of America State New Jersey County Middlesex Established December 30, 1730 Incorporated September 1, 1784 Government  - Type Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)  - Mayor James Cahill Area  - City  5. ... Binomial name Quercus alba L. The White oak (Quercus alba) is one of the most magnificent of oaks. ... One of Cook College Fields Cook College was founded as the College of Agriculture at Rutgers University. ... “Rutgers” redirects here. ...

Guy Davenport suggests quite a different inspiration. "Trees were favorite symbols for Yeats, Frost, and even the young Pound. [ . . . ] But Kilmer had been reading about trees in another context [,] the movement to stop child labor and set up nursery schools in slums. [ . . . ] Margaret McMillan . . . had the happy idea that a breath of fresh air and an intimate acquaintance with grass and trees were worth all the pencils and desks in the whole school system. [ . . . ] The English word for gymnasium equipment is 'apparatus.' And in her book Labour and Childhood (1907) you will find this sentence: 'Apparatus can be made by fools, but only God can make a tree.' "^[42] The cover of Apples and Pears by Guy Davenport Guy Mattison Davenport (November 23, 1927 – January 4, 2005) was an American writer, translator, painter, illustrator, intellectual, and teacher. ...

Scansion and analysis

"Trees" is a poem of twelve lines. With the exception of the second and eleventh lines, which possess seven syllables, each line consists of eight syllables in strict iambic tetrameter. The poem's rhyme scheme is organized in a series of rhyming couplets rendered aa bb cc dd ee aa.^[43] Iambic tetrameter is a meter in poetry. ... A rhyme scheme is like the pattern of rhyming like lines in a poem or in like lyrics for music. ... A couplet is a pair of lines of verse. ...

Despite its deceptive simplicity in rhyme and meter, "Trees" is notable for its use of personification and anthropomorphic imagery: the tree of the poem, which Kilmer depicts as female, is depicted as pressing its mouth to the earth's breast, looking at God and raising its "leafy arms" to pray. The tree of the poem also is given human physical attributes, namely Kilmer's description of the tree possessing a "hungry mouth", arms, hair (in which Robins nest), and a bosom.^[44] Phillipp Veits Germania (1877), a personification of Germany. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with mouth (human). ... A pregnant womans breasts. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Look up pray in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with mouth (human). ... Look up ARM in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the film, see Hair (film). ... Binomial name Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. ... The term breast can refer to the upper ventral region of the human torso. ...

Criticism and influence

Joyce Kilmer is a poet whose reputation is staked largely on the widespread popularity of one poem, namely "Trees", and who because of an untimely and early death did not have the opportunity to develop from his early work into a more mature poet and expand the amount of material within the corpus of his work. Because "Trees" is often dismissed by modern critics and scholars as simple verse, much of Kilmer's work, especially his literary criticism, has slipped into obscurity and as a result is ignored. Only a very few of his poems have appear in anthologies, and with the exception of "Trees" and to a much lesser extent "Rouge Bouquet", almost none have obtained lasting widespread popularity.^[45] This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. ... An anthology, literally a garland or collection of flowers, is a collection of literary works, originally of poems. ...

The entire corpus of Kilmer's work appears in the early years of the modernist movement, especially before the influence of the Lost Generation. In the years after Kilmer's death, poetry entered new directions, driven by the works of T.S. Eliot (1888–1965) and Ezra Pound. The years in which Kilmer was writing, and the conservatism and traditional style he used, were the last of the Romantic era. Kilmer's work is often criticized for being poetry that does not break free of the traditional modes, rhyme and meter, or themes and that it is too sentimental to be taken seriously.^[46] For Christian theological modernism, see Liberal Christianity and Modernism (Roman Catholicism). ... For other uses, see Lost Generation (disambiguation). ... Thomas Stearns Eliot (September 26, 1888 - January 4, 1965), was a major Modernist Anglo-American poet, dramatist, and literary critic. ... Ezra Pound in 1913. ... Wanderer above the sea of fog by Caspar David Friedrich Romanticism is an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in 18th century Western Europe during the Industrial Revolution. ... A rhyme is a repetition of identical or similar terminal sounds in two or more different words (i. ... The metre, or meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ...

Kilmer's early works were inspired by, and were imitative of, the poetry of Algernon Charles Swinburne, Ernest Dowson, Aubrey Beardsley, and William Butler Yeats. It was later through the influence of works by Coventry Patmore, Francis Thompson, and those of Alice Meynell and her children Viola Meynell and Francis Meynell, that Kilmer seems to have become interested in Catholicism.^[47] Kilmer wrote of his influences: Algernon Swinburne, detail of his portrait by Rossetti Algernon Charles Swinburne (April 5, 1837 – April 10, 1909) was a Victorian era English poet. ... Ernest Christopher Dowson (2 August 1867-23 February 1900), an English poet who was associated with the Decadent Movement, was born at Lee, south-east of London. ... Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (August 21, 1872 – March 16, 1898) was an influential English illustrator, and author, best known for his erotic illustrations. ... William Butler Yeats, 1933 photograph, author unknown. ... Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore (July 23, 1823 - November 26, 1896) was an English poet and critic. ... Francis Thompson (December 18, 1859–November 13, 1907) was an English poet born in Preston, Lancashire. ... Alice Meynell (September 22, 1847 _ November 27, 1922) was an English writer and suffragist, now remembered mainly as a poet. ... Viola Meynell (1885 – 1956) was an English writer; her married name was Dallyn. ... Francis Meynell (1891-1975) was the poet and printer at the Nonesuch Press. ...

"I have come to regard them with intense admiration. Patmore seems to me to be a greater poet than Francis Thompson. He has not the rich vocabulary, the decorative erudition, the Shelleyan enthusiasm, which distinguish the 'Sister Songs' and the 'Hound of Heaven,' but he has a classical simplicity, a restraint and sincerity which make his poems satisfying."^[48]

Because he was initially raised Episcopalian (or Anglican), Kilmer became literary editor of the Anglican weekly, The Churchman before his conversion to Roman Catholicism. During this time he did considerable research into 16th and 17th century Anglican poets as well as metaphysical, or mystic poets of that time, including George Herbert, Thomas Traherne, Robert Herrick, Bishop Coxe, and Robert Stephen Hawker, the Vicar of Morwenstow, the latter whom he referred to as "a coast life-guard in a cassock." These poets also had an influence on Kilmer's writings.^[49] Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Anglicanism is the term used to encapsulate... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... George Herbert (April 3, 1593 – March 1, 1633) was an English poet, orator and a priest. ... Thomas Traherne (1636 or 1637 - October 10, 1674) was an English poet and religious writer. ... Robert Herrick Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May, by John William Waterhouse, (1908) Gather Ye rosebuds While Ye May, by John William Waterhouse, (1909) Robert Herrick (baptized August 24, 1591- October 1674) was a 17th century English poet. ... Robert Stephen Hawker (3 December 1803 - 15 August 1875), was an English poet, antiquarian of Cornwall, Anglican clergyman and reputed eccentric. ...

Critics compared to British Catholic writers, Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton, suggesting that his reputation might have risen to the level where he would have been considered their American counterpart if not for his untimely death.^[50].^[51]

Legacy

Dedication plaque in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

Several municipalities across the United States have named parks, schools and streets and squares in honor of Joyce Kilmer, including his hometown of New Brunswick, New Jersey, which renamed Codwise Avenue, the street on which he was born, "Joyce Kilmer Avenue." Nickname: Location of New Brunswick in Middlesex County Coordinates: Country United States of America State New Jersey County Middlesex Established December 30, 1730 Incorporated September 1, 1784 Government  - Type Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)  - Mayor James Cahill Area  - City  5. ...

• In the 1940 film, The Fighting 69th directed by William Keighley and starring James Cagney, Kilmer is depicted as a minor character played by actor Jeffrey Lynn (1909–1995).
• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest (3,800 acres/15 km²) located in the Nantahala National Forest, near Robbinsville in Graham County, North Carolina was dedicated in Kilmer's memory on 10 July 1936.
• Camp Kilmer, opened in 1942 in what is now Edison, New Jersey, an embarkation center for soldiers going to the European theatre during World War II. Many of the original buildings remain, and it is now the location of the Livingston campus of Rutgers University where a library is named after him.^[52]
• The State of New Jersey and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority have named a rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike, located in East Brunswick Township after him.^[53]
• The Philolexian Society of Columbia University, a collegiate literary society of which Kilmer was Vice President, holds the annual Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest in his honor.^[54]
• Joyce Kilmer Park, is located along the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. The park is located very close to Yankee Stadium.

The Fighting 69th - Starring James Cagney, Pat OBrien. ... James Francis Cagney, Jr. ... Jeffrey Lynn (February 16, 1909 – November 24, 1995) was an American actor. ... Cullasaja Falls, Nantahala National Forest. ... Cullasaja Falls, Nantahala National Forest. ... Robbinsville is a town located in Graham County, North Carolina. ... Graham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Camp Kilmer was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... The Edison Memorial Tower, one of Edison Townships notable landmarks. ... “Rutgers” redirects here. ... State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United States. ... The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United States. ... East Brunswick is an suburban township located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. ... The Philolexian Society of Columbia University in the City of New York is one of the oldest collegiate literary societies in the United States, and the oldest student group at Columbia. ... Columbia University is a private research university in the United States. ... The Grand Concourse is likely the most famous street in The Bronx borough of New York City. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of United States. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ...

Works

• Summer of Love. (New York: Baker and Taylor, 1911).
• Trees and Other Poems. (New York: Doubleday Doran and Co., 1914).
• The Circus and Other Essays. (New York: Lawrence J. Gomme, 1916).
• Main Street and Other Poems. (New York: George H. Doran, 1917).
• The Courage of Enlightenment. An address delivered in Campion College, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to the members of the graduating class, 15 June 1917. (Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin: 1917).
• Dreams and Images: An Anthology of Catholic Poets. (ed. by Joyce Kilmer). (New York: Boni and Liveright, 1917).
• Literature in the Making by some of its Makers. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1917).
• Poems, Essays and Letters in Two Volumes. Robert Cortes Holliday (ed.). (Volume One: Memoir and Poems, Volume Two: Prose Works) (New York: George H. Doran, 1918 - published posthumously).
• The Circus and Other Essays and Fugitive Pieces. (New York: George H. Doran, 1921 - published posthumously).

Campion College Australia opened to its first intake of students in February 2006. ...

Notes

Background resources

Citations

December 6 is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Daily Targum is the official student newspaper of Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Books and printed materials

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Joyce Kilmer

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Joyce Kilmer

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Joyce Kilmer

• Tribute page at Rising Dove (a site by his granddaughter)
• Tribute Page at the University of Notre Dame
• A Tribute to Joyce Kilmer by a Kilmer biographer
• Works by Joyce Kilmer at Project Gutenberg
• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest website
• Philolexian Society of Columbia University
• Findagrave: tombstone and cenotaph
• Kilmer archive
• Reelyredd's Poetry Pages audio version of "Trees" (with Jimmy Stewart voice impression)