Alfred joyce kilmer biography of abraham lincoln

American poet, editor, literary critic, soldier

Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was almighty Americanwriter and poet mainly remembered application a short poem titled "Trees" (1913), which was published in the gathering Trees and Other Poems in 1914. Though a prolific poet whose output celebrated the common beauty of loftiness natural world as well as climax Catholic faith, Kilmer was also straighten up journalist, literary critic, lecturer, and redactor. At the time of his cataloguing to Europe during World War Farcical, Kilmer was considered the leading Denizen Catholic poet and lecturer of dominion generation, whom critics often compared detonation British contemporaries G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) and Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953).^{[1]: p.27 [2][3]} He enlisted in the New York National Comprise and was deployed to France convene the 69th Infantry Regiment (the eminent "Fighting 69th") in 1917. He was killed by a sniper's bullet as a consequence the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 at the age ensnare 31. He was married to Reorient Murray, also an accomplished poet tube author, with whom he had cardinal children.

While most of his expression are largely unknown today, a appropriate few of his poems remain regular and are published frequently in anthologies. Several critics—including both Kilmer's contemporaries service modern scholars—have dismissed Kilmer's work chimp being too simple and overly tender, and suggested that his style was far too traditional, even archaic.^[4] Hang around writers, including notably Ogden Nash, possess parodied Kilmer's work and style—as authenticated by the many imitations of "Trees."

Biography

Early years and education: 1886–1908

Kilmer was born December 6, 1886, in In mint condition Brunswick, New Jersey,^[5] the fourth concentrate on youngest child,^{[note 1]} of Annie Ellen Kilburn (1849–1932), a minor writer captain composer,^[4][6] and Dr. Frederick Barnett Kilmer (1851–1934), a physician and analytical apothecary employed by the Johnson and Author Company and inventor of the company's baby powder.^[7][8][9] He was named King Joyce Kilmer after two priests give in Christ Church in New Brunswick: Aelfred R. Taylor, the curate; and dignity Rev. Dr. Elisha Brooks Joyce (1857–1926), the rector. Christ Church is representation oldest Episcopal parish in New Town and the Kilmer family were parishioners.^[10] Rector Joyce, who served the fold from 1883 to 1916, baptised righteousness young Kilmer,^[11] who remained an Protestant until his 1913 conversion to Catholicity. Kilmer's birthplace in New Brunswick, spin the Kilmer family lived from 1886 to 1892, is still standing obtain houses a small museum to Kilmer, as well as a few Middlesex County government offices.^[12]

Kilmer entered Rutgers Institution Grammar School (now Rutgers Preparatory School) in 1895 at the age execute 8. During his years at integrity Grammar School, Kilmer was editor-in-chief delightful the school's paper, the Argo, accept loved the classics but had snag with Greek. He won the extreme Lane Classical Prize, for oratory, topmost obtained a scholarship to Rutgers Faculty which he would attend the people year. Despite his difficulties with Hellenic and mathematics, he stood at interpretation head of his class in preparative school.^[1]: p.9

After graduating from Rutgers College Set of beliefs School in 1904, he continued ruler education at Rutgers College (now Rutgers University) from 1904 to 1906. Combination Rutgers, Kilmer was associate editor dominate the Targum, the campus newspaper, enjoin a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity.^[13] However, he was unable foster complete the curriculum's rigorous mathematics specification and was asked to repeat fillet sophomore year. Under pressure from top mother, Kilmer transferred to Columbia Introduction in New York City.^[1]: p.10

At Columbia, Kilmer was vice-president of the Philolexian The public (a literary society), associate editor collide Columbia Spectator (the campus newspaper), scold member of the Debating Union. Elegance completed his Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree and graduated from Columbia transform May 23, 1908.^[1]: p.11 Shortly after scale 1, on June 9, 1908, he wed Aline Murray (1888–1941), a fellow sonneteer to whom he had been reserved since his sophomore year at Rutgers.^{[1]: p.11 [14]} The Kilmers had five children: Kenton Sinclair Kilmer (1909–1995); Rose Kilburn Kilmer (1912–1917); Deborah Clanton Kilmer (1914–1999), who became a nun ("Sister Michael") close the Saint Benedict Monastery, St. Carpenter, Minnesota; Michael Barry Kilmer (1916–1927); enthralled Christopher Kilmer (1917–1984).^[7]

Years of writing most important faith: 1909–1917

In the autumn of 1908, Kilmer was employed teaching Latin learning Morristown High School in Morristown, Additional Jersey.^[4] At this time, he began to submit essays to Red Crotchety Notes (including his first published put, an essay on the "Psychology eradicate Advertising") and his early poems give somebody no option but to literary periodicals. Kilmer also wrote reservation reviews for The Literary Digest, Town & Country, The Nation, and The New York Times. By June 1909, Kilmer had abandoned any aspirations discriminate continue teaching and relocated to Creative York City, where he focused toute seule on developing a career as top-hole writer.^[1]: p.13

From 1909 to 1912, Kilmer was employed by Funk and Wagnalls, which was preparing an edition of The Standard Dictionary that would be accessible in 1912.^[4] According to Hillis, Kilmer's job "was to define ordinary word choice assigned to him at five cents for each word defined. This was a job at which one would ordinarily earn ten to twelve dosh a week, but Kilmer attacked rendering task with such vigor and quickness that it was soon thought wisest to put him on a popular salary."^[1]: p.14

In 1911, Kilmer's first book method verse was published, entitled Summer bequest Love. Kilmer later wrote, "some allround the poems in it, those brilliant by genuine love, are not weird and wonderful of which to be ashamed, take up you, understanding, would not be aggrieved by the others."^[1]: p.18

In 1912, Kilmer became a special writer for the New York Times Review of Books captain the New York Times Sunday Magazine and was often engaged in lecturing.^[4] He moved to Mahwah, New Jumper, where he resided until his unit and death in World War Wild. By this time he had correspond established as a published poet take precedence as a popular lecturer. According soft-soap Robert Holliday, Kilmer "frequently neglected forbear make any preparation for his speeches, not even choosing a subject undetermined the beginning of the dinner which was to culminate in a model of his oratory. His constant test for the dictionary, and, later take the edge off, for his New York Times an arrangement, must have given him a carry of knowledge at his fingertips theorist be produced at a moment's catch a glimpse of for these emergencies."^{[1]: p.21 [15]}

When the Kilmers' chick Rose (1912–1917) was stricken with polio (also known as infantile paralysis) in a moment after birth,^[4] they turned to their religious faith for comfort. A program of correspondence between Kilmer and Fr. James J. Daly led the Kilmers to convert to Catholicism, and they were received in the church captive 1913. In one of these hand, Kilmer writes that he "believed quandary the Catholic position, the Catholic scene of ethics and aesthetics, for excellent long time," and he "wanted apropos not intellectual, some conviction not unsympathetic – in fact I wanted Faith." Kilmer would stop "every morning provision months" on his way "to distinction office and prayed for faith," claiming that when "faith did come, constrain came, I think, by way hint at my little paralyzed daughter. Her inert hands led me; I think amalgam tiny feet know beautiful paths. Order about understand this and it gives monstrous a selfish pleasure to write authorization down."^[16][17]

With the publication of "Trees" twist the magazine Poetry in August 1913, Kilmer gained immense popularity as expert poet across the United States. Take steps had established himself as a flush lecturer—particularly one seeking to reach natty Catholic audience. His close friend direct editor Robert Holliday wrote that organize "is not an unsupported assertion look after say that he was in authority time and place the laureate pale the Catholic Church."^[15]Trees and Other Poems (1914) was published the following origin. This collection also introduced the usual poem "The House With Nobody Infant It". Over the next few majority, Kilmer was prolific in his plant, managing an intense schedule of lectures, publishing a large number of essays and literary criticism, and writing metrics. In 1915 he became poetry senior editor of Current Literature and contributing reviser of Warner's Library of the World's Best Literature. In 1916 and 1917, before the American entry into Cosmos War I, Kilmer would publish quartet books: The Circus and Other Essays (1916), a series of interviews letter literary personages entitled Literature in primacy Making (1917), Main Street and Time away Poems (1917), and Dreams and Images: An Anthology of Catholic Poets (1917).^[4] In the aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland, Kilmer helped organize a large memorial service collect New Yorks Central Park for those who died in that conflict.^[18]

War years: 1917–1918

In April 1917, a few age after the United States entered Pretend War I, Kilmer enlisted in illustriousness Seventh Regiment of the New Royalty National Guard. In August, Kilmer was assigned as a statistician with justness 165th Infantry Regiment (better known by the same token the re-designated "Fighting 69th", the 69th New York Infantry Regiment), of illustriousness 42nd "Rainbow" Division, and quickly gules to the rank of sergeant. Allowing he was eligible for commission likewise an officer and often recommended aim for such posts during the course tension the war, Kilmer refused, stating walk he would rather be a barrister in the Fighting 69th than undermine officer in any other regiment.^[1]: p.35

Shortly a while ago his deployment to Europe, the Kilmers' daughter Rose died, and twelve era later their son Christopher was born.^[1]: p.32 Before his departure, Kilmer had meagre with publishers to write a publication about the war, deciding upon class title Here and There with distinction Fighting Sixty-Ninth. The regiment arrived make real France in November 1917, and Kilmer wrote to his wife that flair had not written "anything in language or verse since I got here—except statistics—but I've stored up a not sufficiently of memories to turn into pretend when I get a chance."^[19] Kilmer did not write such a book; however, toward the end of decency year, he did find time serve write prose sketches and poetry. Significance most notable of his poems by this period was "Rouge Bouquet" (1918) which commemorated the deaths of unite dozen members of his regiment school in a German artillery barrage on English trench positions in the Rouge Posy forest north-east of the French city of Baccarat. At the time, that was a relatively quiet sector clone the front, but the first brigade was struck by a German burdensome artillerybombardment on the afternoon of Tread 7, 1918, that buried 21 private soldiers of the unit, killing 19 (of which 14 remained entombed).^{[20][21][22]: p.350}

Kilmer sought auxiliary hazardous duty and was transferred on touching the military intelligence section of jurisdiction regiment, in April 1918. In trig letter to his wife, Aline, do something remarked: "Now I'm doing work Farcical love – and work you can be proud of. None of interpretation drudgery of soldiering, but a point share of glory and thrills."^[1]: p.36 According to Hillis, Kilmer's fellow soldiers abstruse accorded him much respect for authority battlefield demeanour—"He was worshipped by high-mindedness men about him. I have heard them speak with awe of enthrone coolness and his nerve in observation patrols in no man's land. That coolness and his habit of ballot, with typical enthusiasm, the most resilient and difficult missions, led to circlet death."^[1]: p.36

Death and burial

During the Second Campaigning of Marne there was heavy struggle throughout the last days of July 1918. On July 30, 1918, Kilmer volunteered to accompany Major "Wild Bill" Donovan (later, in World War II, the founder of the Office lose Strategic Services, forerunner to the Main Intelligence Agency) when Donovan's battalion (1–165th Infantry) was sent to lead position day's attack.

During the course unravel the day, Kilmer led a reconnoitering party to find the position pounce on a German machine gun. When monarch comrades found him, some time following, they thought at first that noteworthy was peering over the edge look up to a little hill, where he challenging crawled for a better view. Considering that he did not answer their telephone, they ran to him and misconstrue him dead. According to Father Francis P. Duffy: "A bullet had cut his brain. His body was ride in and buried by the cause of Ames. God rest his celestial being and gallant soul."^{[22]: p.193} A sniper's side likely killed him instantly. According sure of yourself military records, Kilmer died on grandeur battlefield near Muercy Farm, beside integrity Ourcq River near the village bad deal Seringes-et-Nesles, in France, on July 30, 1918, at the age of 31.^[23] For his valor, Kilmer was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre (War Cross) by the French Republic.^[24]

Kilmer was buried in the Oise-Aisne American Site and Memorial, near Fere-en-Tardenois, Aisne, Picardy, France just across the road avoid stream from the farm where subside was killed.^[25] A cenotaph erected his memory is located on influence Kilmer family plot in Elmwood God`s acre, in North Brunswick, New Jersey.^[26] Pure Memorial Mass was celebrated at Fabricated. Patrick's Cathedral in New York Facility on October 14, 1918.^[27]

Works

"Trees"

See also: Crooked (poem)

Joyce Kilmer's reputation as a lyricist is staked largely on the extensive popularity of one poem—"Trees" (1913). Drenching was first published in the Sage 1913 issue of Poetry: A Journal of Verse which had begun broadcasting the year before in Chicago, Illinois^[28] and was included as the designation poem in a collection of rhyme Trees and Other Poems (1914).^[29] According to Kilmer's oldest son, Kenton, prestige poem was written on February 2, 1913, when the family resided jagged Mahwah, New Jersey.

It was hard going in the afternoon in the intervals of some other writing. The motionless was in an upstairs room, make wet a window looking down a bosky hill. It was written in ingenious little notebook in which his churchman and mother wrote out copies portend several of their poems, and, unsavory most cases, added the date pale composition. On one page the cap two lines of 'Trees' appear, communicate the date, February 2, 1913, enjoin on another page, further on speak the book, is the full subject of the poem. It was earnest to his wife's mother, Mrs. Rhetorician Mills Alden, who was endeared get rid of all her family.^[30]

Many locations together with Rutgers University (where Kilmer attended back two years),^[31][32]University of Notre Dame,^[33] likewise well as historians in Mahwah, Unusual Jersey and in other places,^[34] be endowed with boasted that a specific tree was the inspiration for Kilmer's poem. Notwithstanding, Kenton Kilmer refutes these claims, remarking that,

Mother and I agreed, like that which we talked about it, that Daddy never meant his poem to operate to one particular tree, or style the trees of any special sphere. Just any trees or all nasty that might be rained on slip-up snowed on, and that would well suitable nesting places for robins. Raving guess they'd have to have upward-reaching branches, too, for the line make longer 'lifting leafy arms to pray.' Heart out weeping willows."^[30]

The popular appeal stand for this simple poem is likely nobility source of its endurance despite ethics continuing negative opinion of the poem's merits from scholars and critics. According to Robert Holliday, Kilmer's friend remarkable editor, "Trees" speaks "with authentic express to the simplest of hearts" add-on that "(t)he exquisite title poem say to so universally known, made his civilized more than all the rest why not? had written put together. That faultless lyric which made for immediate popular popularity."^[35] Its popularity has also leak out to parodies of the poem—some dampen noted poets and writers. The model of its first lines (I consider that I shall never see Recording A poem lovely as a tree.) is of seemingly simple rhyme squeeze meter and easy to mimic in advance with the poem's choice of metaphors. One of the best known parodies is "Song of the Open Road" by American humorist and poet Town Nash (1902–1971):

I think that Unrestrained shall never see

A billboard lovely hoot a tree.

Indeed, unless the billboards fall,

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

Influences upon Kilmer's verse

Kilmer's early works were inspired by, and were imitative confess, the poetry of Algernon Charles Poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Ernest Dowson, Aubrey Beardsley, and William Butler Yeats (and the Celtic Revival). It was ulterior through the influence of works get ahead of Coventry Patmore, Francis Thompson, and those of Alice Meynell and her offspring Viola Meynell and Francis Meynell, avoid Kilmer seems to have become condoling in Catholicism.^[1]: p.19 Kilmer wrote of sovereign influences:

I have come to attraction them with intense admiration. Patmore seems to me to be a preferable poet than Francis Thompson. He has not the rich vocabulary, the showy erudition, the Shelleyan enthusiasm, which tell the difference the Sister Songs and the Hound of Heaven, but he has systematic classical simplicity, a restraint and openness which make his poems satisfying.^[1]: p.19

Because why not? was initially raised Episcopalian (or Anglican), Kilmer became literary editor of integrity Anglican weekly, The Churchman, before potentate conversion to Catholicism. During this in the house he did considerable research into Ordinal and 17th century Anglican poets reorganization well as metaphysical, or mystic poets of that time, including George Musician, Thomas Traherne, Robert Herrick, Bishop Coxe, and Robert Stephen Hawker (the anomalous vicar of the Church of Beauty Morwenna and Saint John the Baptistic at Morwenstow in Cornwall)—the latter whom he referred to as "a slip life-guard in a cassock." These poets also had an influence on Kilmer's writings.^[1]: p.19

Critics compared Kilmer to British Broad writers Hilaire Belloc and G. Youth. Chesterton—suggesting that his reputation might control risen to the level where put your feet up would have been considered their Land counterpart if not for his prematurely death.^[37][38]

Legacy

Kilmer's death at age 31 denied him the opportunity to develop be liked a more mature poet. Because contemporary critics^{[citation needed]} often dismiss "Trees" though simple verse, much of Kilmer's attention (especially his literary criticism) has slipped into obscurity. Only a very uncommon of his poems have appeared bear anthologies, and with the exception designate "Trees"—and to a much lesser addition "Rouge Bouquet" (1917–1918)—almost none have borrowed lasting widespread popularity.^{[1]: p.26 [1]: p.40}

The entire corpus conduct operations Kilmer's work was produced between 1909 and 1918 when Romanticism and sentimentallyric poetry fell out of favor soar Modernism took root—especially with the spell of the Lost Generation. In illustriousness years after Kilmer's death, poetry went in drastically different directions, as legal action seen especially in the work clean and tidy T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pulsate. Kilmer's verse is conservative and habitual, and does not break the contained rules of poetics—he can be ostensible as one of the last poets of the Romantic era. His perfect has been criticized for not disintegration free of traditional modes of chime, meter, and theme, and for glare too sentimental to be taken seriously.^[39]

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. Rendering triangle, a resting place on Kings Highway (Brooklyn) intersecting Quentin Road, mid East 12th and 13th Streets (40°36′28″N73°57′38″W / 40.60789°N 73.96066°W / 40.60789; -73.96066 (Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Triangle)), is significance smallest park in New York City.^[40][41] occupying 0.001 acres (0.00040 ha) of land.^[42][43]
• Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx, Original York, near Yankee Stadium, is entitled after him.^[44]
• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest wrench North Carolina, part of the Nantahala National Forest, is named after Kilmer.
• A service plaza on the New T-shirt Turnpike in East Brunswick is given name after Kilmer.
• Kilmer Middle School in Vienna, Virginia is named for Kilmer.
• Joyce Kilmer School in Mahwah, New Jersey anticipation named after him.^[45]
• Joyce Kilmer Elementary College in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
• Joyce Kilmer Natural Area in Bald Eagle Assert Forest, Pennsylvania is named after him.^[46]
• Joyce Kilmer School in West Roxbury (Boston), MA

Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in City, 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 set at liberty in Campion College, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to the members of primacy graduating class, June 15, 1917
• 1917: Dreams and Images: An Anthology of Stop Poets (poetry anthology, edited by Kilmer)
• 1917: Literature in the Making by untainted of its Makers (criticism)
• 1918: Poems, Essays and Letters in Two Volumes Mass 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 coach in Father Duffy's Story by Francis Proprietress. Duffy (New York: Doran, 1919)
• 1921: The Circus and Other Essays and Pieces (published posthumously)

See also

References

Notes

References

Further reading

External links