Joyce Kilmer
Joyce Kilmer | |
---|---|
U.S. | |
Died | July 30, 1918 near Seringes-et-Nesles, Marne, France | (aged 31)
Cause of death | Killed in action |
Occupation | 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 |
Signature | |
Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was an
While most of his works are largely unknown today, a select few of his poems remain popular and are published frequently in
Biography
Early years and education: 1886–1908
Kilmer was born December 6, 1886, in
Kilmer entered Rutgers College Grammar School (now Rutgers Preparatory School) in 1895 at the age of 8. During his years at the Grammar School, Kilmer was editor-in-chief of the school's paper, the Argo, and loved the classics but had difficulty with Greek. He won the first Lane Classical Prize, for oratory, and obtained a scholarship to Rutgers College which he would attend the following year. Despite his difficulties with Greek and mathematics, he stood at the head of his class in preparatory school.[1]: p.9
After graduating from Rutgers College Grammar School in 1904, he continued his education at
At Columbia, Kilmer was vice-president of the
Years of writing and faith: 1909–1917
In the autumn of 1908, Kilmer was employed teaching Latin at Morristown High School in Morristown, New Jersey.[4] At this time, he began to submit essays to Red Cross Notes (including his first published piece, an essay on the "Psychology of Advertising") and his early poems to literary periodicals. Kilmer also 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, where he focused solely on developing a career as a writer.[1]: p.13
From 1909 to 1912, Kilmer was employed by
In 1911, Kilmer's first book of verse was published, entitled Summer of Love. Kilmer later wrote, "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."[1]: p.18
In 1912, Kilmer became a special writer for the
When the Kilmers' daughter Rose (1912–1917) was stricken with
With the publication of
War years: 1917–1918
In April 1917, a few days after the United States entered
Shortly before his deployment to Europe, the Kilmers' daughter Rose died, and twelve days later their son Christopher was born.
Kilmer sought more hazardous duty and was transferred to the military intelligence section of his regiment, in April 1918. In a letter to his wife, Aline, he remarked: "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."[1]: p.36 According to Hillis, Kilmer's fellow soldiers had accorded him much respect for his battlefield demeanour—"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."[1]: p.36
Death and burial
During the
During the course of the day, Kilmer led a scouting party to find the position of a German machine gun. 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 Francis P. Duffy: "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."[21]: p.193 A sniper's bullet likely killed him instantly. According to military records, Kilmer died on the battlefield near Muercy Farm, beside the Ourcq River near the village of Seringes-et-Nesles, in France, on July 30, 1918, at the age of 31.[22] For his valor, Kilmer was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre (War Cross) by the French Republic.[23]
Kilmer was buried in the
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Cenotaph atElmwood Cemetery
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Plaque honoring Kilmer in Central Park, New York City
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Plaque honoring Kilmer in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
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Plaque erected at the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in Graham County, North Carolina
Criticism and influence
"Trees"
Joyce Kilmer's reputation as a poet is staked largely on the widespread popularity of one poem—
It was written in the afternoon in the intervals of some other writing. The desk was in an upstairs room, by a window looking down a wooded hill. It was written in a little notebook in which his father and mother wrote out copies of several of their poems, and, in most cases, added the date of composition. On one page the first two lines of 'Trees' appear, with the date, February 2, 1913, and on another page, further on in the book, is the full text of the poem. It was dedicated to his wife's mother, Mrs. Henry Mills Alden, who was endeared to all her family.[29]
Many locations including Rutgers University (where Kilmer attended for two years),[30][31] University of Notre Dame,[32] as well as historians in Mahwah, New Jersey and in other places,[33] have boasted that a specific tree was the inspiration for Kilmer's poem. However, Kenton Kilmer refutes these claims, remarking that,
Mother and I agreed, when we talked about it, that Dad never meant his poem to apply to one particular tree, or to the trees of any special region. Just any trees or all trees that might be rained on or snowed on, and that would be suitable nesting places for robins. I guess they'd have to have upward-reaching branches, too, for the line about 'lifting leafy arms to pray.' Rule out weeping willows."[29]
The popular appeal of this simple poem is likely the source of its endurance despite the continuing negative opinion of the poem's merits from scholars and critics. According to Robert Holliday, Kilmer's friend and editor, "Trees" speaks "with authentic song to the simplest of hearts" and that "(t)he exquisite title poem now so universally known, made his reputation more than all the rest he had written put together. That impeccable lyric which made for immediate widespread popularity."[34] Its popularity has also led to parodies of the poem—some by noted poets and writers. The pattern of its first lines (I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree.) is of seemingly simple rhyme and meter and easy to mimic along with the poem's choice of metaphors. One of the best known parodies is "Song of the Open Road" by American humorist and poet Ogden Nash (1902–1971):
- 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]
Influences upon Kilmer's verse
Kilmer's early works were inspired by, and were imitative of, the poetry of
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.[1]: p.19
Because he was initially raised
Critics compared Kilmer 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.[36][37]
Criticism of Kilmer's work
Kilmer's death at age 31 denied him the opportunity to develop into a more mature poet. Because modern critics[citation needed] often dismiss "Trees" as simple verse, much of Kilmer's work (especially his literary criticism) has slipped into obscurity. Only a very few of his poems have appeared in anthologies, and with the exception of "Trees"—and to a much lesser extent "Rouge Bouquet" (1917–1918)—almost none have obtained lasting widespread popularity.[1]: p.26 [1]: p.40
The entire corpus of Kilmer's work was produced between 1909 and 1918 when Romanticism and sentimental lyric poetry fell out of favor and Modernism took root—especially with the influence of the Lost Generation. In the years after Kilmer's death, poetry went in drastically different directions, as is seen especially in the work of T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pound. Kilmer's verse is conservative and traditional, and does not break the formal rules of poetics—he can be considered as one of the last poets of the Romantic era. His style has been criticized for not breaking free of traditional modes of rhyme, meter, and theme, and for being too sentimental to be taken seriously.[38]
In the 1940 film, "The Fighting 69th", the role of Sergeant Joyce Kilmer was portrayed by actor Jeffrey Lynn.
Tributes
- Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Triangle in Midwood, Brooklyn is named after him. The triangle, a resting place on Kings Highway (Brooklyn) intersecting Quentin Road, between East 12th and 13th Streets (40°36′28″N 73°57′38″W / 40.60789°N 73.96066°W), is the smallest park in New York City.[39][40] occupying 0.001 acres (0.00040 ha) of land.[41][42]
- Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx, New York, near Yankee Stadium, is named after him.[43]
- Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in North Carolina, part of the Nantahala National Forest, is named after Kilmer.
- A service plaza on the New Jersey Turnpike in East Brunswick is named after Kilmer.
- Kilmer Middle School in Vienna, Virginia is named for Kilmer.
- Joyce Kilmer School in Mahwah, New Jersey is named after him.[44]
- Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
- Joyce Kilmer Natural Area in Bald Eagle State Forest, Pennsylvania is named after him.[45]
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 Campion College, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to the members of the graduating class, June 15, 1917
- 1917: Dreams and Images: An Anthology of Catholic Poets (poetry anthology, edited by Kilmer)
- 1917: Literature in the Making by some of its Makers (criticism)
- 1918: Poems, Essays and Letters in Two Volumes Volume One: Memoir and Poems, Volume Two: prose works (collected works) (published posthumously, edited by Robert Cortes Holliday)
- 1919: Kilmer's unfinished history of the Fighting 69th (145th Infantry) is posthumously printed in Father Duffy's Story by Francis P. Duffy (New York: Doran, 1919)
- 1921: The Circus and Other Essays and Fugitive Pieces (published posthumously)
See also
- Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest
- List of places named after Joyce Kilmer
- Category:Poetry by Joyce Kilmer
References
Notes
- ^ Per Miriam A. Kilmer's website (located here. Retrieved August 14, 2012), Joyce was the fourth and youngest; however, two of his siblings, sister Ellen Annie Kilmer (1875–1876) and brother Charles Willoughby Kilmer (1880–1880), died before his birth. Kilmer's older, surviving brother, Anda Frederick Kilmer (1873–1899), died when Joyce was thirteen years old—most likely a suicide—in a Philadelphia hotel.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Hillis, John. Joyce Kilmer: A Bio-Bibliography. Master of Science (Library Science) Thesis. Catholic University of America. (Washington, DC: 1962)
- ^ Mencken, H. L. The American Mercury. Volume XIII, No. 49. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, January 1928), 33.
- ^ Maynard, Theodore. A book of modern Catholic verse. (New York: Henry Holt, 1925), 16–17.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hart, James A.Joyce Kilmer 1886–1918 (Biography) at Poetry Magazine. (Retrieved August 15, 2012).
- ^ Certificate of Birth for Alfred Joyce Kilmer, December 6, 1886, on microfilm at the Archives of the State of New Jersey, 225 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey.
- ^ "Mrs. F. B. Kilmer Dead; Mother of War Poet. Wrote of Memories of Her Son Who Was Killed in France in 1918. Was Native of Albany." The New York Times. January 2, 1932. (Retrieved August 14, 2012).
- ^ a b Joyce Kilmer: FAQ and Fancies, website published by Miriam A. Kilmer, with Kilmer genealogical information. Retrieved December 26, 2006.
- ^ For Dr. Kilmer as the inventor of Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder, see: Reuter, Annie. "Famous Tree Poem originates at U." The Daily Targum October 12, 2004.
- ^ See also Johnson & Johnson's Our History: People who made a difference Archived November 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. (Retrieved August 14, 2012).
- ^ Durnin, Richard G. "Joyce Kilmer and New Brunswick, New Jersey." (New Brunswick, NJ: Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission, 1993).
- ^ Baptismal Records for Christ Church, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
- ^ "Historic New Brunswick". Archived from the original on March 10, 2007., published by New Brunswick City Market, (no further authorship information given) Retrieved August 17, 2006.
- ^ Kilburn Kilmer, Annie (1920). Memories of My Son Sergeant Joyce Kilmer. Brentano's. p. 3. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ^ Certificate of Marriage for Aline Murray and Alfred Joyce Kilmer, June 9, 1908, on microfilm at the Archives of the State of New Jersey, 225 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey.
- ^ a b Holliday, Robert Cortes (ed.). "Memoir" in Joyce Kilmer: Poems, Essays and Letters. 2 volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Company, 1918), 1:24.
- ^ Letter from Joyce Kilmer to Father James J. Daly, January 9, 1914, in Holliday, Robert Cortes (ed.) and Kilmer, Joyce. Poems, Essays and Letters in Two Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran, 1918 – published posthumously).
- ^ Daly, James Jeremiah. "Some letters of Joyce Kilmer." in his A Cheerful Ascetic, and other essays. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Bruce, 1931), 76–86.
- ^ Letter from Joyce Kilmer to Aline Kilmer, November 24, 1917 in Kilmer, Joyce with Holliday, Robert Cortes (editor). Poems, Essays and Letters in Two Volumes. (1918).
- ^ World War I Diary of Joseph J. Jones Sr., published at website "One Jones Family" by Joseph J. Jones III. Retrieved December 27, 2006.
- ^ The History of the Fighting 69th: Rouge Bouquet Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (no further authorship information given). Retrieved December 27, 2006.
- ^ a b Duffy, Francis Patrick (1919). Father Duffy's Story. New York: George H. Doran Company.
- ^ " Joyce Kilmer Slain on the West Front; Former Member of Times Staff Had Won Sergeantcy In The 165th of Infantry. His Writings Well Known Author Was Rutgers And Columbia Graduate—Several Veterans Of The 69th Killed. His Lusitania Poem. Fought At The Marne. Veteran Of 69th Killed. Lieut. Harwood 'Doing Fine.' Parents Receive Letter Written After Date Of Reported Death." The New York Times August 18, 1918.
- ^ "Joyce Kilmer cited for French War Cross" The New York Times January 2, 1919.
- ^ American Battle Monuments Commission
- ^ My Central Jersey
- ^ "Mass for Joyce Kilmer. Memorial Service at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York Tomorrow Morning." The New York Times. October 13, 1918.
- ^ Kilmer, Joyce. "Trees" in Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, V. 2, (Chicago: Modern Poetry Association, August 1913), 160.
- ^ Kilmer, Joyce. Trees and Other Poems. (New York: Doubleday Doran and Co., 1914), 18.
- ^ a b Letter from Kenton Kilmer to Dorothy Colson in Grotto Sources file, Dorothy Corson Collection, University of Notre Dame (South Bend, Indiana).
- ISBN 0-19-505408-3. Retrieved December 25, 2006.
- ^ The New York Times, September 19, 1963. Of note, in an article reporting the demise of the "Kilmer Oak" is a quote that "Rutgers said it could not prove that Kilmer...had been inspired by the oak." which further confirms this attribution is unsubstantiated and its dissemination within the realm of rumor and urban (or in this case, provincial) legend.
- ^ Corson, Dorothy V. A Cave of Candles: The Story behind the Notre Dame Grotto, found online here (Retrieved August 15, 2012).
- ^ Curley, John. "End of Legend: Kilmer's Oak to Fall" The Free Lance-Star. (September 17, 1963).
- ^ Holliday, Robert Cortes. "Memoir," in Joyce Kilmer, edited by Holliday (New York: Doran, 1918), I: 17–101.
- ^ Nash, Ogden. "Song of the Open Road" first published in Argosy. Vol. 12 No. 8. (July 1951), 63.
- ^ Campbell, Pearl H. "Kilmer, late laureate of the Catholic Church" in Magnificat. Volume 64. (June 1939), 78–82
- ^ Connolly, Helen. "Kilmer the essayist" in Magnificat. Volume 76. (July 1945), 128–31
- ^ Aiken, Conrad Potter. "Confectionary and Caviar: Edward Bliss Reed, John Cowper Powys, Joyce Kilmer, Theodosia Garrison, William Carlos Williams," in Scepticisms. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1919), 178–86.
- ^ "New York Today: Striving for Success". The New York Times. April 7, 2015.
(2015) There is a tie for the honor of smallest park: Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Triangle in Midwood, Brooklyn, and Luke J. Lang Square in Maspeth, Queens
- ^ (2017)"Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Triangle". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
- ^ Schlossberg, Tatiana (April 7, 2015). "New York Today: Striving for Success". City Room. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
- ^ Dailey, Jessica (September 22, 2016). "New York City's 20 tiniest parks, mapped". Curbed NY. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
- ^ "Joyce Kilmer Park". NYC Parks. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ "Joyce Kilmer School / Homepage". www.mahwah.k12.nj.us. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ Fergus, Charles (2002). Natural Pennsylvania: Exploring the State Forest Natural Areas. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. pp. 101–103.
Further reading
- Cargas, Harry J. I lay down my life: A Biography of Joyce Kilmer (Boston, Massachusetts: Daughters of Saint Paul Editions, 1964). NO ISBN (pre-1964)
- Covell, John E. Joyce Kilmer: A Literary Biography. (Brunswick, Georgia: Write-Fit Communications, 2000). ISBN 978-0-615-11175-9
- Kilmer, Annie Kilburn. Whimsies, More Whimsies. (New York: Frye Publishing Co., 1929). NO ISBN (Pre-1964).
- Kilmer, Annie Kilburn. Memories of My Son, Sergeant Joyce Kilmer. (New York: Brentano's, 1920). NO ISBN (Pre-1964).
- Kilmer, Annie Kilburn. Leaves of My Life. (New York: Frye Publishing Co., 1925). NO ISBN (Pre-1964).
- Kilmer, Kenton. Memories of my Father, Joyce Kilmer (Joyce Kilmer Centennial, 1993). ISBN 978-0-9637524-0-6
- Roberto, Brother C.S.C. Death Beneath the Trees: A Story of Joyce Kilmer (South Bend, Indiana: Dujarie Press-University of Notre Dame, 1967). NO ISBN (Privately published).
- Smaridge, Norah. Pen and Bayonet: The Story of Joyce Kilmer. (Stroud, Gloucestershire, England: Hawthorn Books, 1962). NO ISBN (Pre-1964).
- "VFW Celebrates World War I Poet". VFW Magazine. Vol. 105, no. 9. Kansas City, Mo.: ISSN 0161-8598.
- Werner, Stephen. "The tragedy of Joyce Kilmer, the Catholic poet killed in World War I." America, 219, No. 2 (July 27, 2018).
External links
- Works by Joyce Kilmer at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Joyce Kilmer at Internet Archive
- Works by Joyce Kilmer at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- Kilmer archive, Georgetown University Library
- Joyce Kilmer/Campion College Collection Raynor Memorial Libraries / Marquette University
- Joyce Kilmer: Profile, Poems, Essays at Poets.org
- "The Joyce Kilmer House". Thinkery & Verse, New Brunswick Historical Association, and New Brunswick Historical Society. 2021.