EDGAR A. GUEST - POEM SIGNED - HFSID 200593

EDGAR A. GUEST
The prominent author signs his poem "Winter in the Garden" in black ink
Poem signed: "Edgar A. Guest" in black ink. 4x3½ cutout affixed to 4x5 piece of paper, with signature on both. Clipped print of Guest's poem "Winter in the Garden". Poem in full: "Gray skies above us, and the snow/ Blankets the frozen earth below./ Where roses bloomed the drifts lie deep./ The hollyhocks are fast asleep./ The cedars green are wearing white/ Like rich men's wives on opera night./ The elm tree strangely seems to throw/ A lean, gaunt shadow on the snow./ The last brown leaves of twig and stem/ Have found the storms too much for them./ Winter, the tyrant of the land,/ Once more is in supreme command". Edgar Guest (1881-1959) was born in England, but moved with his family to the US in 1891 and became a US citizen in 1902. A long-time employee of the Detroit Free Press, he worked his way up from copy boy to reporter to syndicated poet appearing in over 300 newspapers. He wrote over 11,000 poems and published more than 20 collections, beginning with A Heap o' Livin' (1916). His rhymed and metered poems, brimming with sentimental optimism, were scorned by some critics but loved by the general public. Well known examples included "Home" and "See It Through." Guest hosted shows on radio (1931-1942) and television (1951). The only person ever named Poet Laureate of Michigan, he was the great uncle of novelist Judith Guest. Toned. Stained throughout. Irregularly cut. Edges of paper frayed. Creased throughout. Frayed tears on verso from adhesive. Otherwise, fine condition.