Portrait of Joyce Kilmer © 2000 Miriam A. Kilmer color prints now available |
Print of "Trees" © 2003 Miriam A. Kilmer |
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Joyce Kilmer is best known for his poem "Trees."
Legends have grown up all over the country around certain trees that are reputed to be the
tree that inspired the poem;
people often write to me asking for verification of their local version. According to my Dad, Joyce Kilmer's eldest son,
Joyce was writing about trees in general, not about any particular tree. Joyce was living in Mahwah, New Jersey, at the time
he wrote the poem (February 2, 1913). "It was 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 don't know what else." - Memories of my Father,
Joyce Kilmer;
Kenton Kilmer, 1993. I don't actively discourage the legends because they encourage environmental passion, but I also value
accuracy, so I've provided the facts as I know them for those who seek.
Notre Dame's legend It is dangerous to argue with the judgment of the people, but I can’t help agreeing with Aline Kilmer, his widow, and with their eldest son (my father, Kenton Kilmer), both of whom expressed a preference for some of his lesser-known works such as "Delicatessen" and "A Blue Valentine." My own favorite varies each time I re-read his work. Though some call him a "great poet," I believe it is fair to say that his work showed promise; that had he not been struck down in his prime, his talent would most likely have developed in later years into something approaching greatness. I really love his letters and his <--> essays<-->. It is as an editor that his most important contributions to poetry were made; my father particularly credited him with the literary recognition of Gerard Manley Hopkins in the United States. Nevertheless, I am thankful for the popularity of "Trees," because its captivating lyrical simplicity drives home this profound message: we humans can never hope to surpass the awesome beauty of nature. This is why I think of my grandfather as an early environmentalist. Countless trees have been planted in his honor, and for that alone he deserves to be remembered. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest was dedicated in his honor. See also Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest ~ Wildflowers
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| The official National celebration
of Earth Day is always April 22. Read about celebrations of Earth Day - both reports of those that have passed, and announcements of
ongoing and future events. Look up states and cities where you live or visit.
Earth Day is April 22nd - Join Sierra Club. |
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National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April. The dates of local celebrations vary. Please check the National Arbor Day website for the date in your state or territory. Arbor Day Manual: An Aid in Preparing Programs for Arbor Day Exercises; Charles R. Skinner. Amazon.com 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth; Andrews and McMeel. Amazon.com In addition to your outdoor activities, which I hope will include planting a tree, I recommend watching Charles Schultz's It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown Animated VHS Paramount Home Video *** No, the poem "Trees" is not in it. Amazon.com Even funnier is "Arbor Day" from Volume 10 of Republic Pictures Home Video series "The Little Rascals." Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer makes a valiant attempt to stretch his vocal chords to the wide range required for Oscar Rasbach's musical setting of "Trees." Read about the film at IMDB. Little Rascals 10-Video Collection has been released again under the Hallmark label. Volume 10 may be purchased from Amazon.com. There are many recordings of the Kilmer/Rasbach "Trees" still readily available. |
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The "perfect tree" chosen for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree for 2004 came from Suffern, an area well known to Joyce Kilmer, and mentioned in the poem "The House with Nobody in It." |
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Tree-Planting Ceremony, September, 1955: my cousins Robert and Ann participated in planting a tree in memory of their grandfather Joyce Kilmer during the dedication of the Ford Plant in Mahwah, NJ; they were assisted by Charles N. Feldman, then Mayor of Mahwah, and Henry Ford 2nd. Detail from a Herald-Tribune Photo by Ira Rosenberg. |
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Joyce Kilmer is buried in Oise-Aisne
Cemetery, Fere-en-Tardenois, France. There is a picture of the Kilmer Family Cenotaph in Elmwood Cemetery, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Please note that Joyce Kilmer was never buried in the United States. The photo at the bottom of the same page shows Joyce Kilmer's
tombstone in Oise-Aisne Cemetery.
There are photos of another side of the Elmwood Cemetary cenotaph showing the nams and dates of both of Joyce Kilmer's parents, and one of Frederick Barnett Kilmer's gravestone here. |
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Joyce & Aline Kilmer
Literary Sites and Search Resources Books by and about Joyce Kilmer and Aline Murray Kilmer at Rising Dove Bookstore Shop for earth-friendly products at Recommended Merchants for the Ecologically Aware |
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