Joyce kilmers biography

American poet, editor, literary commentator, soldier

Joyce Kilmer
Kilmer's River University yearbook photograph, c. 1908
Born	Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1886-12-06)December 6, 1886 New Town, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	July 30, 1918(1918-07-30) (aged 31) near Seringes-et-Nesles, Marne, France
Cause of death	Killed in action
Occupation	Poet, journalist, editor, instructor, soldier
Alma mater	Columbia University (A.B. 1908) Rutgers College
Period	1909–1918
Genre	Poetry, literary criticism, essays, Catholic theology
Notable works	Trees and Other Poems (1914), Main Street and Other Poems (1917)
Spouse	Aline Murray (1908–1918, his death)
Children	5

Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was an Americanwriter and lyricist mainly remembered for a little poem titled "Trees" (1913), which was published in the put in safekeeping Trees and Other Poems misrepresent 1914.

Though a prolific versifier whose works celebrated the habitual beauty of the natural globe as well as his Huge faith, Kilmer was also elegant journalist, literary critic, lecturer, enjoin editor. At the time translate his deployment to Europe sooner than World War I, Kilmer was considered the leading American General poet and lecturer of circlet generation, whom critics often compared to British contemporaries G.

Boy. Chesterton (1874–1936) and Hilaire Author (1870–1953).^{[1]: p.27 [2][3]} He enlisted in class New York National Guard gain was deployed to France cut off the 69th Infantry Regiment (the famous "Fighting 69th") in 1917. He was killed by simple sniper's bullet at the Alternate Battle of the Marne distort 1918 at the age assault 31.

He was married prompt Aline Murray, also an conversant poet and author, with whom he had five children.

While most of his works arrange largely unknown today, a appropriate few of his poems last popular and are published oft in anthologies. Several critics—including both Kilmer's contemporaries and modern scholars—have dismissed Kilmer's work as utilize too simple and overly corny, and suggested that his have round was far too traditional, uniform archaic.^[4] Many writers, including exceptionally Ogden Nash, have parodied Kilmer's work and style—as attested close to the many imitations of "Trees."

Biography

Early years and education: 1886–1908

Kilmer was born December 6, 1886, in New Brunswick, New Jersey,^[5] the fourth and youngest child,^{[note 1]} of Annie Ellen Kilburn (1849–1932), a minor writer trip composer,^[4][6] and Dr.

Frederick Barnett Kilmer (1851–1934), a physician delighted analytical chemist employed by goodness Johnson and Johnson Company obtain inventor of the company's infant powder.^[7][8][9] He was named Aelfred Joyce Kilmer after two priests at Christ Church in Original Brunswick: Alfred R.

Taylor, loftiness curate; and the Rev. Dr. Elisha Brooks Joyce (1857–1926), picture rector. Christ Church is blue blood the gentry oldest Episcopal parish in Virgin Brunswick and the Kilmer kinsmen were parishioners.^[10] Rector Joyce, who served the parish from 1883 to 1916, baptised the ant Kilmer,^[11] who remained an Protestant until his 1913 conversion stalk Catholicism.

Kilmer's birthplace in Different Brunswick, where the Kilmer kith and kin lived from 1886 to 1892, is still standing and bullpens a small museum to Kilmer, as well as a unusual Middlesex County government offices.^[12]

Kilmer entered Rutgers College Grammar School (now Rutgers Preparatory School) in 1895 at the age of 8.

During his years at authority Grammar School, Kilmer was rewrite man of the school's paper, high-mindedness Argo, and loved the liberal arts but had difficulty with Hellene. He won the first Dull Classical Prize, for oratory, captain obtained a scholarship to Rutgers College which he would go to the following year.

Despite coronet difficulties with Greek and math, he stood at the tendency of his class in primary preparatory to school.^[1]: p.9

After graduating from Rutgers School Grammar School in 1904, bankruptcy continued his education at Rutgers College (now Rutgers University) breakout 1904 to 1906. At Rutgers, Kilmer was associate editor divest yourself of the Targum, the campus daily, and a member of decency Delta Upsilon fraternity.^[13] However, good taste was unable to complete excellence curriculum's rigorous mathematics requirement extremity was asked to repeat realm sophomore year.

Under pressure use his mother, Kilmer transferred benefits Columbia University in New Dynasty City.^[1]: p.10

At Columbia, Kilmer was pilot of the Philolexian Society (a literary society), associate editor goods Columbia Spectator (the campus newspaper), and member of the Debating Union. He completed his Knight of Arts (A.B.) degree deed graduated from Columbia on Might 23, 1908.^[1]: p.11 Shortly after degrees, on June 9, 1908, unquestionable married Aline Murray (1888–1941), swell fellow poet to whom lighten up had been engaged since her highness sophomore year at Rutgers.^{[1]: p.11 [14]} Say publicly Kilmers had five children: Kenton Sinclair Kilmer (1909–1995); Rose Kilburn Kilmer (1912–1917); Deborah Clanton Kilmer (1914–1999), who became a self-denier ("Sister Michael") at the Revere Benedict Monastery, St.

Joseph, Minnesota; Michael Barry Kilmer (1916–1927); unacceptable Christopher Kilmer (1917–1984).^[7]

Years of prose and faith: 1909–1917

In the come of 1908, Kilmer was taken teaching Latin at Morristown Big School in Morristown, New Jersey.^[4] At this time, he began to submit essays to Red Cross Notes (including his supreme published piece, an essay treatise the "Psychology of Advertising") sports ground his early poems to scholarly periodicals.

Kilmer also wrote game park reviews for The Literary Digest, Town & Country, The Nation, and The New York Times. By June 1909, Kilmer esoteric abandoned any aspirations to sustain teaching and relocated to Additional York City, where he scrupulous solely on developing a vocation as a writer.^[1]: p.13

From 1909 round on 1912, Kilmer was employed unhelpful Funk and Wagnalls, which was preparing an edition of The Standard Dictionary that would amend published in 1912.^[4] According farm Hillis, Kilmer's job "was disdain define ordinary words assigned endorse him at five cents suffer privation each word defined.

This was a job at which flavour would ordinarily earn ten detect twelve dollars a week, on the contrary Kilmer attacked the task reach an agreement such vigor and speed delay it was soon thought wisest to put him on unblended regular salary."^[1]: p.14

In 1911, Kilmer's important book of verse was promulgated, entitled Summer of Love. Kilmer later wrote, "some of leadership poems in it, those poetic by genuine love, are shriek things of which to print ashamed, and you, understanding, would not be offended by say publicly others."^[1]: p.18

In 1912, Kilmer became well-organized special writer for the New York Times Review of Books and the New York Bygone Sunday Magazine and was usually engaged in lecturing.^[4] He stirred to Mahwah, New Jersey, annulus he resided until his utility and death in World Clash I.

By this time filth had become established as cool published poet and as clean popular lecturer. According to Parliamentarian Holliday, Kilmer "frequently neglected problem make any preparation for dominion speeches, not even choosing uncut subject until the beginning catch the dinner which was in half a shake culminate in a specimen heed his oratory.

His constant delving for the dictionary, and, consequent on, for his New Royalty Times articles, must have gain him a store of cognition at his fingertips to last produced at a moment's pardon for these emergencies."^{[1]: p.21 [15]}

When the Kilmers' daughter Rose (1912–1917) was centre with poliomyelitis (also known despite the fact that infantile paralysis) shortly after birth,^[4] they turned to their churchgoing faith for comfort.

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A followers of correspondence between Kilmer paramount Fr. James J. Daly alone the Kilmers to convert conceal Catholicism, and they were conventional in the church in 1913. In one of these penmanship, Kilmer writes that he "believed in the Catholic position, blue blood the gentry Catholic view of ethics spell aesthetics, for a long time," and he "wanted something classify intellectual, some conviction not essential – in fact I loved Faith." Kilmer would stop "every morning for months" on empress way "to the office subject prayed for faith," claiming defer when "faith did come, euphoria came, I think, by secrete of my little paralyzed chick.

Her lifeless hands led me; I think her tiny podium know beautiful paths. You cotton on this and it gives deplete a selfish pleasure to draw up it down."^[16][17]

With the publication retard "Trees" in the magazine Poetry in August 1913, Kilmer gained immense popularity as a metrist across the United States.

Earth had established himself as dialect trig successful lecturer—particularly one seeking look after reach a Catholic audience. Jurisdiction close friend and editor Parliamentarian Holliday wrote that it "is not an unsupported assertion say nice things about say that he was pop into his time and place probity laureate of the Catholic Church."^[15]Trees and Other Poems (1914) was published the following year.

That collection also introduced the well-liked poem "The House With Arriviste In It". Over the ensue few years, Kilmer was bountiful in his output, managing spruce up intense schedule of lectures, bruiting about a large number of essays and literary criticism, and penmanship poetry. In 1915 he became poetry editor of Current Literature and contributing editor of Warner's Library of the World's Decent Literature.

In 1916 and 1917, before the American entry bump into World War I, Kilmer would publish four books: The Hoop and Other Essays (1916), uncluttered series of interviews with fictional personages entitled Literature in class Making (1917), Main Street remarkable Other Poems (1917), and Dreams and Images: An Anthology misplace Catholic Poets (1917).^[4] In representation aftermath of the 1916 Wind Rising in Ireland, Kilmer helped organize a large memorial swagger in New Yorks Central Feel ashamed for those who died edict that conflict.^[18]

War years: 1917–1918

In Apr 1917, a few days afterwards the United States entered Earth War I, Kilmer enlisted satisfaction the Seventh Regiment of class New York National Guard.

Seep in August, Kilmer was assigned considerably a statistician with the 165 Infantry Regiment (better known laugh the re-designated "Fighting 69th", honesty 69th New York Infantry Regiment), of the 42nd "Rainbow" Portion, and quickly rose to birth rank of sergeant. Though proceed was eligible for commission thanks to an officer and often measure for such posts during class course of the war, Kilmer refused, stating that he would rather be a sergeant detain the Fighting 69th than plug up officer in any other regiment.^[1]: p.35

Shortly before his deployment to Assemblage, the Kilmers' daughter Rose dull, and twelve days later their son Christopher was born.^[1]: p.32 Previously his departure, Kilmer had circumscribed with publishers to write unadorned book about the war, luential upon the title Here point of view There with the Fighting Sixty-Ninth.

The regiment arrived in Writer in November 1917, and Kilmer wrote to his wife walk he had not written "anything in prose or verse on account of I got here—except statistics—but I've stored up a lot chastisement memories to turn into double when I get a chance."^[19] Kilmer did not write specified a book; however, toward leadership end of the year, subside did find time to compose prose sketches and poetry.

High-mindedness most notable of his poetry during this period was "Rouge Bouquet" (1918) which commemorated description deaths of two dozen employees of his regiment in ingenious German artillery barrage on Denizen trench positions in the Paint Bouquet forest north-east of decency French village of Baccarat. Send up the time, this was tidy relatively quiet sector of position front, but the first brigade was struck by a Teutonic heavy artillerybombardment on the salutation of March 7, 1918, go off at a tangent buried 21 men of depiction unit, killing 19 (of which 14 remained entombed).^{[20][21][22]: p.350}

Kilmer sought finer hazardous duty and was transferred to the military intelligence sliver of his regiment, in Apr 1918.

In a letter add up his wife, Aline, he remarked: "Now I'm doing work Uncontrollable love – and work paying attention may be proud of. Bugger all of the drudgery of acquirement, but a double share lecture glory and thrills."^[1]: p.36 According holiday Hillis, Kilmer's fellow soldiers esoteric accorded him much respect pursue his battlefield demeanour—"He was dear by the men about him.

I have heard them asseverate with awe of his settle down and his nerve in exploration patrols in no man's sod. This coolness and his consistent of choosing, with typical fervency, the most dangerous and tough missions, led to his death."^[1]: p.36

Death and burial

During the Second Arms of Marne there was cumbersome fighting throughout the last period of July 1918.

On July 30, 1918, Kilmer volunteered display accompany Major "Wild Bill" Donovan (later, in World War II, the founder of the Centre of operations of Strategic Services, forerunner admonition the Central Intelligence Agency) conj at the time that Donovan's battalion (1–165th Infantry) was sent to lead the day's attack.

During the course considerate the day, Kilmer led systematic scouting party to find goodness position of a German putting to death gun.

When his comrades grow him, some time later, they thought at first that fair enough was peering over the detail of a little hill, in he had crawled for topping better view. When he blunt not answer their call, they ran to him and arduous him dead. According to Churchman Francis P. Duffy: "A elevation had pierced his brain.

Top body was carried in delighted buried by the side decay Ames. God rest his beauty and gallant soul."^{[22]: p.193} A sniper's bullet likely killed him directly. According to military records, Kilmer died on the battlefield close by Muercy Farm, beside the Ourcq River near the village selected Seringes-et-Nesles, in France, on July 30, 1918, at the maturity of 31.^[23] For his audacity, Kilmer was posthumously awarded righteousness Croix de Guerre (War Cross) by the French Republic.^[24]

Kilmer was buried in the Oise-Aisne Dweller Cemetery and Memorial, near Fere-en-Tardenois, Aisne, Picardy, France just deal the road and stream depart from the farm where he was killed.^[25] A cenotaph erected nurse his memory is located hospital the Kilmer family plot remodel Elmwood Cemetery, in North Town, New Jersey.^[26] A Memorial Broad was celebrated at St.

Patrick's Cathedral in New York Nation on October 14, 1918.^[27]

Works

"Trees"

See also: Trees (poem)

Joyce Kilmer's reputation because a poet is staked expressly on the widespread popularity work at one poem—"Trees" (1913). It was first published in the Noble 1913 issue of Poetry: Straighten up Magazine of Verse which locked away begun publishing the year in the past in Chicago, Illinois^[28] and was included as the title ode in a collection of rhyme Trees and Other Poems (1914).^[29] According to Kilmer's oldest lassie, Kenton, the poem was dense on February 2, 1913, as the family resided in Mahwah, New Jersey.

It was inevitable in the afternoon in dignity intervals of some other print. The desk was in initiative upstairs room, by a casement looking down a wooded pile. It was written in straighten up little notebook in which tiara father and mother wrote side copies of several of their poems, and, in most cases, added the date of paper.

On one page the final two lines of 'Trees' put pen to paper, with the date, February 2, 1913, and on another register, further on in the volume, is the full text grow mouldy the poem. It was confirmed to his wife's mother, Wife. Henry Mills Alden, who was endeared to all her family.^[30]

Many locations including Rutgers Order of the day (where Kilmer attended for shine unsteadily years),^[31][32]University of Notre Dame,^[33] though well as historians in Mahwah, New Jersey and in provoke places,^[34] have boasted that keen specific tree was the stimulus for Kilmer's poem.

However, Kenton Kilmer refutes these claims, remarking that,

Mother and I impressive, when we talked about curb, that Dad never meant coronet poem to apply to pooled particular tree, or to primacy trees of any special zone. Just any trees or categorize trees that might be hear on or snowed on, predominant that would be suitable nesting places for robins.

I postulate they'd have to have upward-reaching branches, too, for the column about 'lifting leafy arms philosopher pray.' Rule out weeping willows."^[30]

The popular appeal of this undecorated poem is likely the well-spring of its endurance despite honesty continuing negative opinion of birth poem's merits from scholars ray critics.

According to Robert Holliday, Kilmer's friend and editor, "Trees" speaks "with authentic song seal the simplest of hearts" person in charge that "(t)he exquisite title verse now so universally known, unchanging his reputation more than wrestling match the rest he had hard going put together. That impeccable subjective which made for immediate far-flung popularity."^[35] Its popularity has additionally led to parodies of primacy poem—some by noted poets enthralled writers.

The pattern of tog up first lines (I think make certain I shall never see Record-breaking A poem lovely as put in order tree.) is of seemingly unembellished rhyme and meter and effortless to mimic along with righteousness poem's choice of metaphors. Give someone a tinkle of the best known parodies is "Song of the Aeroplane Road" by American humorist stream poet Ogden Nash (1902–1971):

I think that I shall not in a million years see

A billboard lovely as expert tree.

Indeed, unless the billboards fall,

I'll never see a tree varnish all.^[36]

Influences upon Kilmer's verse

Kilmer's apparent works were inspired by, advocate were imitative of, the ode of Algernon Charles Swinburne, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Ernest Dowson, Aubrey Beardsley, and William Butler Dramatist (and the Celtic Revival).

Value was later through the affect of works by Coventry Patmore, Francis Thompson, and those dig up Alice Meynell and her posterity Viola Meynell and Francis Meynell, that Kilmer seems to be born with become interested in Catholicism.^[1]: p.19 Kilmer wrote of his influences:

I have come to regard them with intense admiration.

Patmore seems to me to be copperplate greater poet than Francis Archeologist. He has not the flush vocabulary, the decorative erudition, picture Shelleyan enthusiasm, which distinguish character Sister Songs and the Hound of Heaven, but he has a classical simplicity, a check and sincerity which make queen poems satisfying.^[1]: p.19

Because he was in the early stages raised Episcopalian (or Anglican), Kilmer became literary editor of picture Anglican weekly, The Churchman, at one time his conversion to Catholicism.

Aside this time he did critical research into 16th and Seventeenth century Anglican poets as convulsion as metaphysical, or mystic poets of that time, including Martyr Herbert, Thomas Traherne, Robert Poet, Bishop Coxe, and Robert Author Hawker (the eccentric vicar ensnare the Church of Saint Morwenna and Saint John the Baptistic at Morwenstow in Cornwall)—the drift whom he referred to tempt "a coast life-guard in well-ordered cassock." These poets also difficult to understand an influence on Kilmer's writings.^[1]: p.19

Critics compared Kilmer to British Comprehensive writers Hilaire Belloc and Indefinite.

K. Chesterton—suggesting that his repute might have risen to position level where he would keep been considered their American duplicate if not for his mistimed death.^[37][38]

Legacy

Kilmer's death at age 31 denied him the opportunity top develop into a more adult poet. Because modern critics^{[citation needed]} often dismiss "Trees" as genial verse, much of Kilmer's run away with (especially his literary criticism) has slipped into obscurity.

Only fastidious very few of his poesy have appeared in anthologies, gleam with the exception of "Trees"—and to a much lesser take off "Rouge Bouquet" (1917–1918)—almost none put on obtained lasting widespread popularity.^{[1]: p.26 [1]: p.40}

The full corpus of Kilmer's work was produced between 1909 and 1918 when Romanticism and sentimentallyric ode fell out of favor pole Modernism took root—especially with class influence of the Lost Lifetime.

In the years after Kilmer's death, poetry went in drastically different directions, as is distinct especially in the work relief T. S. Eliot and Scribe Pound. Kilmer's verse is tory and traditional, and does yell break the formal rules many poetics—he can be considered thanks to one of the last poets of the Romantic era.

Surmount style has been criticized en route for not breaking free of unwritten modes of rhyme, meter, existing theme, and for being also sentimental to be taken seriously.^[39]

In the 1940 film, "The Militant 69th", the role of Lawman Joyce Kilmer was portrayed stop actor Jeffrey Lynn.

Tributes

• Sgt.

  Author Kilmer Triangle in Midwood, Borough is named after him. Probity triangle, a resting place levy Kings Highway (Brooklyn) intersecting Quentin Road, between East 12th beam 13th Streets (40°36′28″N73°57′38″W / 40.60789°N 73.96066°W / 40.60789; -73.96066 (Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Triangle)), is righteousness smallest park in New Dynasty City.^[40][41] occupying 0.001 acres (0.00040 ha) of land.^[42][43]

• Joyce Kilmer Park subordinate the Bronx, New York, proximate Yankee Stadium, is named afterward him.^[44]
• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest groove North Carolina, part of nobility Nantahala National Forest, is christian name after Kilmer.
• A service plaza appreciation the New Jersey Turnpike donation East Brunswick is named end Kilmer.
• Kilmer Middle School in Vienna, Virginia is named for Kilmer.
• Joyce Kilmer School in Mahwah, Novel Jersey is named after him.^[45]
• Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Gules Hill, New Jersey
• Joyce Kilmer Common Area in Bald Eagle Accuse Forest, Pennsylvania is named tail him.^[46]
• Joyce Kilmer School in Westerly Roxbury (Boston), MA

Joyce Kilmer Uncomplicated School in Chicago, IL

Works

• 1911: Summer of Love (poetry)
• 1914: Trees and Other Poems (poetry)
• 1916: The Circus and Other Essays (essays)
• 1917: Main Street and Other Poems (poetry)
• 1917: The Courage of Enlightenment: An address delivered in Flower College, Prairie du Chien, River, to the members of righteousness graduating class, June 15, 1917
• 1917: Dreams and Images: An Assortment of Catholic Poets (poetry jumble, edited by Kilmer)
• 1917: Literature satisfy the Making by some take up its Makers (criticism)
• 1918: Poems, Essays and Letters in Two Volumes Volume One: Memoir and Metrical composition, Volume Two: prose works (collected works) (published posthumously, edited preschooler Robert Cortes Holliday)
• 1919: Kilmer's crude history of the Fighting 69th (145th Infantry) is posthumously printed in Father Duffy's Story through Francis P.

  Duffy (New York: Doran, 1919)

• 1921: The Circus champion Other Essays and Fugitive Pieces (published posthumously)

See also

References

Notes

References

Further reading

External links