Summer of Love.

KILMER, Joyce.

$2,500.00

Item Number: 92792

New York: The Baker & Taylor Company, 1911.

First edition, first issue of Joyce Kilmer’s first book of verse. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to fellow poet and literary critic Thomas Walsh, “To Thomas Walsh, With appreciation of his roast of this book, and the sincere admiration of Joyce Kilmer, June 20, 1913, Brooklyn, NY.” A scholar of Latin American and Spanish literature, Thomas Walsh published four books of poetry and wrote many short articles and reviews, including several for the New York Times. With Walsh’s bookplate to the pastedown. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise box. A nice association and uncommon signed as Kilmer was killed in World War I.

American poet Joyce Kilmer would later write of his first book of verse, Summer of Love, that "...some of the poems in it, those inspired by genuine love, are not things of which to be ashamed, and you, understanding, would not be offended by the others." Kilmer gained immense popularity in 1913 with the publication of his best known poem, Trees, which was later published in book format the following year in a collection which also introduced the popular poem "The House With Nobody In It".