Edgar Guest
Encyclopedia
Edgar Albert Guest (aka Eddie Guest) was a prolific English-born American
poet
who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet.
In 1891, Guest came with his family to the United States from England. After he began at the Detroit Free Press
as a copy boy and then a reporter, his first poem appeared December 11, 1898. He became a naturalized citizen in 1902. For 40 years, Guest was widely read throughout North America, and his sentimental, optimistic poems were in the same vein as the light verse of Nick Kenny
, who wrote syndicated columns during the same decades.
From his first published work in the Detroit Free Press until his death in 1959, Guest penned some 11,000 poems which were syndicated in some 300 newspapers and collected in more than 20 books, including A Heap o' Livin (1916) and Just Folks (1917). Guest was made Poet Laureate
of Michigan, the only poet to have been awarded the title.
His popularity led to a weekly Detroit radio show which he hosted from 1931 until 1942, followed by a 1951 NBC television series, A Guest in Your Home.
When Guest died in 1959, he was buried in Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery.
His great-niece Judith Guest
is a successful novelist who wrote Ordinary People
.
Guest's most motivating poem:
You can do as much as you think you can,
But you'll never accomplish more;
If you're afraid of yourself, young man,
There's little for you in store.
For failure comes from the inside first,
It's there, if we only knew it,
And you can win, though you face the worst,
If you feel that you're going to do it.
, and some favorites, such as "Myself" and "Thanksgiving," are still studied today. However, in one of the most quoted apraisale of his work, Dorothy Parker
reputedly said: "I'd rather flunk my Wasserman test/ Than read the poetry of Edgar Guest."
's submarine Carmelita in The Grim Grotto
, the eleventh book in Lemony Snicket
's Series of Unfortunate Events. In the book Guest is mocked as a "writer of limited skill, who wrote awkward, tedious poetry on hopelessly sentimental topics" (The Grim Grotto (2004) page 281).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet.
In 1891, Guest came with his family to the United States from England. After he began at the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
as a copy boy and then a reporter, his first poem appeared December 11, 1898. He became a naturalized citizen in 1902. For 40 years, Guest was widely read throughout North America, and his sentimental, optimistic poems were in the same vein as the light verse of Nick Kenny
Nick Kenny (poet)
Nicholas Aloysius Kenny was a syndicated newspaper columnist, a song lyricist and a poet who wrote light verse in the Edgar Guest tradition.-Biography:...
, who wrote syndicated columns during the same decades.
From his first published work in the Detroit Free Press until his death in 1959, Guest penned some 11,000 poems which were syndicated in some 300 newspapers and collected in more than 20 books, including A Heap o' Livin (1916) and Just Folks (1917). Guest was made Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Michigan, the only poet to have been awarded the title.
His popularity led to a weekly Detroit radio show which he hosted from 1931 until 1942, followed by a 1951 NBC television series, A Guest in Your Home.
When Guest died in 1959, he was buried in Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery.
His great-niece Judith Guest
Judith Guest
Judith Guest is an American novelist and screenwriter. She was born in Detroit, Michigan and is the great-niece of Poet Laureate Edgar Guest .- Work :...
is a successful novelist who wrote Ordinary People
Ordinary People
Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film that marked the directorial debut of Robert Redford. It stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton....
.
Excerpts
Guest's most famous poem is the oft-quoted "Home":- It don't make a difference how rich ye get t' be'
- How much yer chairs and tables cost, how great the luxury;
- It ain't home t' ye, though it be the palace of a king,
- Until somehow yer soul is sort o' wrapped round everything.
- Within the walls there's got t' be some babies born an' then...
- Right there ye've got t' bring em up t' women good, an' men;
- Home ain't a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;
- Afore it's home there's got t' be a heap o' living in it."
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- --Excerpt from "Home," It takes A Heap o' Livin (1916)
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- When you're up against a trouble,
- Meet it squarely, face to face,
- Lift your chin, and set your shoulders,
- Plant your feet and take a brace,
- When it's vain to try to dodge it,
- Do the best that you can do.
- You may fail, but you may conquer--
- See it through!
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- --Excerpt from "See It Through"
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- See it through!
- You may fail, but you may conquer--
- Do the best that you can do.
- When it's vain to try to dodge it,
- Plant your feet and take a brace,
- Lift your chin, and set your shoulders,
- Meet it squarely, face to face,
Guest's most motivating poem:
You can do as much as you think you can,
But you'll never accomplish more;
If you're afraid of yourself, young man,
There's little for you in store.
For failure comes from the inside first,
It's there, if we only knew it,
And you can win, though you face the worst,
If you feel that you're going to do it.
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- --Excerpt from "The Secret of the Ages" (1926)
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Reputation
Guest's work still occasionally appears in periodicals such as Reader's DigestReader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
, and some favorites, such as "Myself" and "Thanksgiving," are still studied today. However, in one of the most quoted apraisale of his work, Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th century urban foibles....
reputedly said: "I'd rather flunk my Wasserman test/ Than read the poetry of Edgar Guest."
In popular culture
Edgar Guest is depicted on the badge worn by the crew of Count OlafCount Olaf
Count Olaf is the primary antagonist of the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. In the series, Olaf is an actor and is known to have committed many crimes as a member of the fire-starting side of V.F.D. prior to the events of the first book in...
's submarine Carmelita in The Grim Grotto
The Grim Grotto
The Grim Grotto is the eleventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book begins where The Slippery Slope left off, with the Baudelaires traveling on a collapsing toboggan down the Stricken Stream of the Mortmain Mountains, leaving Quigley Quagmire...
, the eleventh book in Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler . Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional...
's Series of Unfortunate Events. In the book Guest is mocked as a "writer of limited skill, who wrote awkward, tedious poetry on hopelessly sentimental topics" (The Grim Grotto (2004) page 281).
Works
- A Dozen New Poems (1920)
- A Heap o' Livin (1916)
- All That Matters (1922)
- All in a Lifetime (1938)
- Between You and Me: My Philosophy of Life (1938)
- Collected Verse of Edgar Guest (1934)
- Faith (1932)
- Harbor Lights of Home (1928)
- Home Rhymes, from Breakfast Table Chat (1909)
- Just Folks (1917)
- Just Glad Tidings (1916)
- Life's Highway (1933)
- Living the Years (1949)
- Mother (1925)
- Over Here (1918)
- Poems for the Home Folks (1930)
- Rhymes of Childhood (1928)
- Sunny Songs (1920)
- The Friendly Way (1931)
- The Light of Faith (1926)
- The Passing Throng (1923)
- The Path to Home (1919)
- Today and Tomorrow (1942)
- When Day Is Done (1921)
- You (1927)
- The Secret of The Ages (1926)
See also
- Franklin Pierce AdamsFranklin Pierce AdamsFranklin Pierce Adams was an American columnist, well known by his initials F.P.A., and wit, best known for his newspaper column, "The Conning Tower", and his appearances as a regular panelist on radio's Information Please...
- Franklyn MacCormackFranklyn MacCormackFranklyn MacCormack was an American radio personality in Chicago, Illinois from the 1930s into the 1970s on his radio program, The All Night Showcase...
- Nick KennyNick Kenny (poet)Nicholas Aloysius Kenny was a syndicated newspaper columnist, a song lyricist and a poet who wrote light verse in the Edgar Guest tradition.-Biography:...
- O. O. McIntyreO. O. McIntyreOscar Odd McIntyre was a famed New York newspaper columnist of the 1920s and 1930s who cleverly combined a small town point of view with urban sophistication...
- William McGonagall