Now by what whim of wanton chance
Do radiant eyes know somber days?
And feet that shod in light should dance
Walk weary and laborious ways?
But rays from Heaven, white and whole,
May penatrate the gloom of earth;
And tears but nourish, in your soul,
The glory of celestial mirth.
The darts of toil and sorrow, sent
Aginst your peaceful beauty, are
As foolish and as impotent
As the winds that blow aginst a star.
Alfred Joyce Kilmer was born on December 6, 1886 in New Brunswick, New Jersey in the united states. He's mostly known for his highly acclaimed poem "Trees" (shown on the opening page of the website). Kilmer attended college at Rutgers University and the University of Missouri at Columbia. After becoming a Catholic, he began modeling his poetry verses after Metaphysical poets of the 17th century. Poetry , a magazine, featured Kilmer's poem "Trees" in 1913. The poem gained immediate success and popularity. Also in 1913, Kilmer joined the staff at the New York Times . Near Seringes, France on July 30, 1918, Kilmer at age 32 was killed in action during World War I.