“Trees” is a poem by American poet Joyce Kilmer. J. Kilmer is famous for his simple style, appreciation of nature and religious views. The poem was written in February 1913, it was first published in Poetry: A Magazine of Verse in August 1913 and included in Kilmer’s 1914 collection Trees and Other Poems. It addresses to people who appreciate nature, I guess, that’s one of the reason it was so popular and was liked by public. From the other hand, publishing in the magazine of poetry suggests narrow circle of fellow-poets-readers.

The purpose of the writing poems in general and “Trees” in particular is to convey not only information, but emotions as well. Emotional message translates through using reach adjectives and metaphors. For example, Kilmer compares unanimated object: a tree, to a child “whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth’s sweet flowing breast”, and to a person who “lifts her leafy arms to pray”. Using the language, J. Kilmer evokes colorful images in a reader. The main signature of poem as a genre is the rhyme. The rhyming words and certain number of syllables in each line create unique tone, melody, character and feeling.

I would speculate that poetry is the most creative type of writing. It can be written in wide variety of ways and still called a “poem”. Traditionally, poems suppose to have rhythm and rhyme but in modern poetry even that is not required. I understand poems as a type of writing that translates emotions through words in an artistic, creative way.