Joyce Kilmer's "Tree": A

Biographical and
Moralistic Exploration
Prepared by
John Henry Ibañez
 Outline
Biography of
Joyce Kilmer

Analysis of "Tree"

Moralistic
Exploration
Early Life
Born in 1886 in New Jersey, Kilmer was a poet and journalist.

Education and Career

He attended Rutgers College and Columbia
University, where he studied literature and
journalism.
Kilmer was a devout Catholic and his faith deeply
influenced his writing. He married Aline Murray in
1908, and they had five children together.
Kilmer's poetry and essays were widely published in
newspapers and magazines, and he became known
for his lyrical style and his love of nature.

Later Life
He is best known for his poem "Trees," which has become an enduring
favorite among poetry enthusiasts.
Kilmer served as a soldier in World War I, and he was killed in action in
France in 1918.
Despite his short life, Kilmer's work has had a lasting impact on
American literature, and he remains a beloved and influential figure in
the world of poetry.
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.
03 Analysis

Moralistic
Exploration

reflection of the value of nature

the importance of appreciating the
beauty and wonder
interconnectedness and mutual
dependence between the natural world
and the living beings that inhabit it
suggests a spiritual connection to the
divine
 Presentation

Thank you for

listening!

Prepared by
John Henry
Ibañez