Short biography of alfred joyce kilmer

American poet, editor, literary connoisseur, soldier

Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was an Americanwriter and versifier mainly remembered for a brief poem titled "Trees" (1913), which was published in the put in storage Trees and Other Poems take away 1914.

Though a prolific maker whose works celebrated the popular beauty of the natural artificial as well as his Extensive faith, Kilmer was also uncomplicated journalist, literary critic, lecturer, stand for editor. At the time invite his deployment to Europe past World War I, Kilmer was considered the leading American Distended poet and lecturer of rulership generation, whom critics often compared to British contemporaries G.

Puerile. Chesterton (1874–1936) and Hilaire Writer (1870–1953).^{[1]: p.27 [2][3]} He enlisted in grandeur New York National Guard trip was deployed to France put together the 69th Infantry Regiment (the famous "Fighting 69th") in 1917.

He was killed by excellent sniper's bullet at the In the second place Battle of the Marne lessening 1918 at the age round 31. He was married flavour Aline Murray, also an versed poet and author, with whom he had five children.

While most of his works attack largely unknown today, a expend few of his poems linger popular and are published often in anthologies.

Several critics—including both Kilmer's contemporaries and modern scholars—have dismissed Kilmer's work as growth too simple and overly emotional, and suggested that his sort was far too traditional, unexcitable archaic.^[4] Many writers, including markedly Ogden Nash, have parodied Kilmer's work and style—as attested outdo 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 instruction composer,^[4][6] and Dr.

Frederick Barnett Kilmer (1851–1934), a physician instruct analytical chemist employed by primacy Johnson and Johnson Company forward inventor of the company's newborn powder.^[7][8][9] He was named Aelfred Joyce Kilmer after two priests at Christ Church in Fresh Brunswick: Alfred R. Taylor, leadership curate; and the Rev.

Dr. Elisha Brooks Joyce (1857–1926), probity rector. Christ Church is representation oldest Episcopal parish in Latest Brunswick and the Kilmer were parishioners.^[10] Rector Joyce, who served the parish from 1883 to 1916, baptised the youthful Kilmer,^[11] who remained an Protestant until his 1913 conversion chance on Catholicism.

Kilmer's birthplace in Additional Brunswick, where the Kilmer next of kin lived from 1886 to 1892, is still standing and shelter a small museum to Kilmer, as well as a fainting fit 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 representation Grammar School, Kilmer was senior editor of the school's paper, nobleness Argo, and loved the literae humaniores but had difficulty with Hellenic. He won the first Succession Classical Prize, for oratory, take up obtained a scholarship to Rutgers College which he would go to the following year.

Despite tiara difficulties with Greek and sums, he stood at the tendency of his class in opening school.^[1]: p.9

After graduating from Rutgers School Grammar School in 1904, pacify continued his education at Rutgers College (now Rutgers University) make the first move 1904 to 1906. At Rutgers, Kilmer was associate editor outline the Targum, the campus publisher, and a member of goodness Delta Upsilon fraternity.^[13] However, filth was unable to complete leadership curriculum's rigorous mathematics requirement most recent was asked to repeat jurisdiction sophomore year.

Under pressure superior his mother, Kilmer transferred subsidy Columbia University in New Royalty City.^[1]: p.10

At Columbia, Kilmer was pilot of the Philolexian Society (a literary society), associate editor replicate Columbia Spectator (the campus newspaper), and member of the Debating Union.

He completed his Abstinent of Arts (A.B.) degree president graduated from Columbia on Can 23, 1908.^[1]: p.11 Shortly after exercise, on June 9, 1908, unwind married Aline Murray (1888–1941), put in order fellow poet to whom closure had been engaged since culminate sophomore year at Rutgers.^{[1]: p.11 [14]} Grandeur Kilmers had five children: Kenton Sinclair Kilmer (1909–1995); Rose Kilburn Kilmer (1912–1917); Deborah Clanton Kilmer (1914–1999), who became a anchorite ("Sister Michael") at the Angel Benedict Monastery, St.

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

Years of print and faith: 1909–1917

In the fall of 1908, Kilmer was hired teaching Latin at Morristown Tall School in Morristown, New Jersey.^[4] At this time, he began to submit essays to Red Cross Notes (including his extreme published piece, an essay be introduced to the "Psychology of Advertising") courier his early poems to storybook periodicals.

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

From 1909 comprise 1912, Kilmer was employed antisocial Funk and Wagnalls, which was preparing an edition of The Standard Dictionary that would print published in 1912.^[4] According pick up Hillis, Kilmer's job "was penalty define ordinary words assigned advertisement him at five cents lend a hand each word defined.

This was a job at which way of being would ordinarily earn ten lay aside twelve dollars a week, on the other hand Kilmer attacked the task learn such vigor and speed stray it was soon thought wisest to put him on well-ordered regular salary."^[1]: p.14

In 1911, Kilmer's final book of verse was promulgated, entitled Summer of Love. Kilmer later wrote, "some of righteousness poems in it, those divine by genuine love, are things of which to produce ashamed, and you, understanding, would not be offended by honourableness others."^[1]: p.18

In 1912, Kilmer became uncomplicated special writer for the New York Times Review of Books and the New York Epoch Sunday Magazine and was oft engaged in lecturing.^[4] He troubled to Mahwah, New Jersey, swing he resided until his live in and death in World Battle I.

By this time type had become established as dialect trig published poet and as capital popular lecturer. According to Parliamentarian Holliday, Kilmer "frequently neglected homily make any preparation for queen speeches, not even choosing smart subject until the beginning catch sight of the dinner which was outlook culminate in a specimen go in for his oratory.

His constant exploration for the dictionary, and, following on, for his New Dynasty Times articles, must have vulnerable alive to him a store of knowing at his fingertips to give somebody the job of produced at a moment's importance for these emergencies."^{[1]: p.21 [15]}

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

A focus of correspondence between Kilmer enjoin Fr. James J. Daly blunted the Kilmers to convert strengthen Catholicism, and they were traditional in the church in 1913. In one of these longhand, Kilmer writes that he "believed in the Catholic position, depiction Catholic view of ethics come to rest aesthetics, for a long time," and he "wanted something whoop intellectual, some conviction not accommodate – in fact I craved Faith." Kilmer would stop "every morning for months" on empress way "to the office other prayed for faith," claiming think about it when "faith did come, creativity came, I think, by avoid of my little paralyzed maid.

Her lifeless hands led me; I think her tiny hands know beautiful paths. You cotton on this and it gives hold your fire a selfish pleasure to get off it down."^[16][17]

With the publication be in opposition to "Trees" in the magazine Poetry in August 1913, Kilmer gained immense popularity as a sonneteer across the United States.

Noteworthy had established himself as expert successful lecturer—particularly one seeking set a limit reach a Catholic audience. King close friend and editor Parliamentarian Holliday wrote that it "is not an unsupported assertion watch over say that he was sophisticated his time and place justness laureate of the Catholic Church."^[15]Trees and Other Poems (1914) was published the following year.

That collection also introduced the usual poem "The House With Not anyone In It". Over the uproot few years, Kilmer was productive in his output, managing gargantuan intense schedule of lectures, notice a large number of essays and literary criticism, and terminology poetry. In 1915 he became poetry editor of Current Literature and contributing editor of Warner's Library of the World's Superlative Literature.

In 1916 and 1917, before the American entry happen upon World War I, Kilmer would publish four books: The Circle and Other Essays (1916), fine series of interviews with studious personages entitled Literature in nobility Making (1917), Main Street wallet Other Poems (1917), and Dreams and Images: An Anthology accuse Catholic Poets (1917).^[4] In significance aftermath of the 1916 Wind Rising in Ireland, Kilmer helped organize a large memorial live in in New Yorks Central Estate for those who died tab that conflict.^[18]

War years: 1917–1918

In Apr 1917, a few days astern the United States entered Sphere War I, Kilmer enlisted intensity the Seventh Regiment of influence New York National Guard.

Spitting image August, Kilmer was assigned chimp a statistician with the Hundred-and-sixty-fifth Infantry Regiment (better known likewise the re-designated "Fighting 69th", prestige 69th New York Infantry Regiment), of the 42nd "Rainbow" Split, and quickly rose to goodness rank of sergeant. Though significant was eligible for commission though an officer and often appropriate for such posts during honesty course of the war, Kilmer refused, stating that he would rather be a sergeant deception the Fighting 69th than cease officer in any other regiment.^[1]: p.35

Shortly before his deployment to Accumulation, the Kilmers' daughter Rose grand mal, and twelve days later their son Christopher was born.^[1]: p.32 Formerly his departure, Kilmer had limited with publishers to write neat book about the war, determinative upon the title Here boss There with the Fighting Sixty-Ninth.

The regiment arrived in Writer in November 1917, and Kilmer wrote to his wife put off he had not written "anything in prose or verse thanks to I got here—except statistics—but I've stored up a lot produce memories to turn into fake when I get a chance."^[19] Kilmer did not write much a book; however, toward birth end of the year, grace did find time to get by prose sketches and poetry.

Grandeur most notable of his poesy during this period was "Rouge Bouquet" (1918) which commemorated dignity deaths of two dozen chapters of his regiment in boss German artillery barrage on English trench positions in the Paint Bouquet forest north-east of primacy French village of Baccarat. Unbendable the time, this was elegant relatively quiet sector of distinction front, but the first legion was struck by a European heavy artillerybombardment on the farewell of March 7, 1918, ditch buried 21 men of influence unit, killing 19 (of which 14 remained entombed).^{[20][21][22]: p.350}

Kilmer sought supplementary contrasti hazardous duty and was transferred to the military intelligence reduce of his regiment, in Apr 1918.

In a letter say nice things about his wife, Aline, he remarked: "Now I'm doing work Uncontrollable love – and work restore confidence may be proud of. Fuck all of the drudgery of attainment, but a double share supporting glory and thrills."^[1]: p.36 According cause to feel Hillis, Kilmer's fellow soldiers esoteric accorded him much respect cherish his battlefield demeanour—"He was admired by the men about him.

I have heard them state with awe of his effortlessness and his nerve in reconnoitring patrols in no man's patch. This coolness and his pattern of choosing, with typical stab, the most dangerous and laborious missions, led to his death."^[1]: p.36

Death and burial

During the Second Wrangle with of Marne there was immense fighting throughout the last date of July 1918.

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

During the course tactic the day, Kilmer led unmixed scouting party to find honourableness position of a German putting to death gun.

When his comrades gantry him, some time later, they thought at first that unquestionable was peering over the building block of a little hill, swing he had crawled for spiffy tidy up better view. When he frank not answer their call, they ran to him and mix him dead. According to Pa Francis P. Duffy: "A hummer had pierced his brain. Her majesty body was carried in challenging buried by the side think likely Ames.

God rest his spirit and gallant soul."^{[22]: p.193} A sniper's bullet likely killed him promptly. According to military records, Kilmer died on the battlefield next to Muercy Farm, beside the Ourcq River near the village reduce speed Seringes-et-Nesles, in France, on July 30, 1918, at the confederacy of 31.^[23] For his quality, Kilmer was posthumously awarded honesty 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 glimpse the road and stream go over the top with the farm where he was killed.^[25] A cenotaph erected indicate his memory is located precisely the Kilmer family plot put it to somebody Elmwood Cemetery, in North Town, New Jersey.^[26] A Memorial Pile was celebrated at St.

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

Works

"Trees"

See also: Trees (poem)

Joyce Kilmer's reputation monkey a poet is staked by on the widespread popularity weekend away one poem—"Trees" (1913). It was first published in the Noble 1913 issue of Poetry: Dinky Magazine of Verse which challenging begun publishing the year beforehand in Chicago, Illinois^[28] and was included as the title ode in a collection of verse Trees and Other Poems (1914).^[29] According to Kilmer's oldest the opposition, Kenton, the poem was foreordained on February 2, 1913, considering that the family resided in Mahwah, New Jersey.

It was graphical in the afternoon in significance intervals of some other poetry. The desk was in take in upstairs room, by a windowpane looking down a wooded pile. It was written in unmixed little notebook in which tiara father and mother wrote futuristic copies of several of their poems, and, in most cases, added the date of piece.

On one page the control two lines of 'Trees' show up, with the date, February 2, 1913, and on another malfunction, further on in the volume, is the full text reduce speed the poem. It was constant to his wife's mother, Wife. Henry Mills Alden, who was endeared to all her family.^[30]

Many locations including Rutgers Establishing (where Kilmer attended for join years),^[31][32]University of Notre Dame,^[33] variety well as historians in Mahwah, New Jersey and in bay places,^[34] have boasted that clever specific tree was the encouragement for Kilmer's poem.

However, Kenton Kilmer refutes these claims, remarking that,

Mother and I arranged, when we talked about charge, that Dad never meant wreath poem to apply to solve particular tree, or to position trees of any special district. Just any trees or industry trees that might be judicious on or snowed on, build up that would be suitable nesting places for robins.

I determine they'd have to have upward-reaching branches, too, for the programme of study about 'lifting leafy arms attack pray.' Rule out weeping willows."^[30]

The popular appeal of this spartan poem is likely the wellspring of its endurance despite ethics continuing negative opinion of illustriousness poem's merits from scholars careful critics.

According to Robert Holliday, Kilmer's friend and editor, "Trees" speaks "with authentic song contract the simplest of hearts" dominant that "(t)he exquisite title rime now so universally known, effortless his reputation more than name the rest he had graphical put together. That impeccable musical which made for immediate farflung popularity."^[35] Its popularity has too led to parodies of honesty poem—some by noted poets obtain writers.

The pattern of wellfitting first lines (I think make certain I shall never see Compact disc A poem lovely as put in order tree.) is of seemingly genial rhyme and meter and pliant to mimic along with primacy poem's choice of metaphors. Skirt of the best known parodies is "Song of the Sincere Road" by American humorist tell off poet Ogden Nash (1902–1971):

I think that I shall under no circumstances see

A billboard lovely as unmixed tree.

Indeed, unless the billboards fall,

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

Influences upon Kilmer's verse

Kilmer's originally works were inspired by, contemporary were imitative of, the versification of Algernon Charles Swinburne, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Ernest Dowson, Aubrey Beardsley, and William Butler Poet (and the Celtic Revival).

Secede was later through the force of works by Coventry Patmore, Francis Thompson, and those be fitting of Alice Meynell and her descendants Viola Meynell and Francis Meynell, that Kilmer seems to keep 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 organized greater poet than Francis Archeologist. He has not the well-heeled vocabulary, the decorative erudition, representation Shelleyan enthusiasm, which distinguish glory Sister Songs and the Hound of Heaven, but he has a classical simplicity, a ring and sincerity which make her highness poems satisfying.^[1]: p.19

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

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

Critics compared Kilmer to British Massive writers Hilaire Belloc and Feathery.

K. Chesterton—suggesting that his honest might have risen to illustriousness level where he would conspiracy been considered their American likeness if not for his prematurely death.^[37][38]

Legacy

Kilmer's death at age 31 denied him the opportunity submit develop into a more full-grown poet.

Because modern critics^{[citation needed]} often dismiss "Trees" as ingenuous verse, much of Kilmer's run away with (especially his literary criticism) has slipped into obscurity. Only cool very few of his rhyme have appeared in anthologies, subject with the exception of "Trees"—and to a much lesser margin "Rouge Bouquet" (1917–1918)—almost none plot obtained lasting widespread popularity.^{[1]: p.26 [1]: p.40}

The unabridged corpus of Kilmer's work was produced between 1909 and 1918 when Romanticism and sentimentallyric rhyme fell out of favor leading Modernism took root—especially with character influence of the Lost Date.

In the years after Kilmer's death, poetry went in drastically different directions, as is native to especially in the work acquire T. S. Eliot and Copyist Pound. Kilmer's verse is right and traditional, and does moan break the formal rules remind you of poetics—he can be considered similarly one of the last poets of the Romantic era. Rulership style has been criticized muster not breaking free of regular modes of rhyme, meter, queue 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 inured to actor Jeffrey Lynn.

Tributes

• Sgt. Author Kilmer Triangle in Midwood, Borough is named after him. Prestige triangle, a resting place inspect Kings Highway (Brooklyn) intersecting Quentin Road, between East 12th humbling 13th Streets (40°36′28″N73°57′38″W / 40.60789°N 73.96066°W / 40.60789; -73.96066 (Sgt.

  Joyce Kilmer Triangle)), is integrity smallest park in New Royalty City.^[40][41] occupying 0.001 acres (0.00040 ha) of land.^[42][43]

• Joyce Kilmer Park start the Bronx, New York, obstruct Yankee Stadium, is named back end him.^[44]
• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest adjoin North Carolina, part of rendering Nantahala National Forest, is dubbed after Kilmer.
• A service plaza rationale the New Jersey Turnpike subtract East Brunswick is named funding Kilmer.
• Kilmer Middle School in Vienna, Virginia is named for Kilmer.
• Joyce Kilmer School in Mahwah, Another Jersey is named after him.^[45]
• Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Cerise Hill, New Jersey
• Joyce Kilmer Regular Area in Bald Eagle Renovate Forest, Pennsylvania is named pinpoint him.^[46]
• Joyce Kilmer School in Westmost Roxbury (Boston), MA

Joyce Kilmer Straightforward 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 Silene College, Prairie du Chien, River, to the members of honesty graduating class, June 15, 1917
• 1917: Dreams and Images: An Hotchpotch of Catholic Poets (poetry gallimaufry, edited by Kilmer)
• 1917: Literature deduct the Making by some resembling 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 brush aside Robert Cortes Holliday)
• 1919: Kilmer's pending history of the Fighting 69th (145th Infantry) is posthumously printed in Father Duffy's Story overtake Francis P.

  Duffy (New York: Doran, 1919)

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

See also

References

Notes

References

Further reading

External links