Trees and Other Poems
New York: George H. Doran Company, (1914). First printing. Tan-gray laid paper over boards. Octavo. 75 pages. Bound in tan-gray laid paper over boards with blind-stamped double rules on upper board, paper title labels on spine and upper board, top edge gilt. Fine, with a neat prior owner bookplate on front pastedown and a tiny chip to one lower corner of spine label. A beautiful copy.
Alfred Joyce Kilmer was an American poet, editor, critic, and Roman Catholic lecturer who contemporary critics often compared to G. K. Chesterton and Hillaire Belloc.
Today Kilmer is remembered as the author of the title poem "Trees" in this, his second published collection of poetry. Kilmer deployed to France with the New York's famous "Fighting 69th" Infantry Regiment in 1917. He was killed by a sniper at the Second Battle of the Marne in July 1918. He was 31.
This is the first issue of the first edition, without the copyright page notice, "Printed in the United States of America." Housed in a custom clamshell box with leather spine titled in gilt.
Ref. BAL 11104.
Item #1099
Price: $350