the villainous Dick Dastardly chops down a tree and uses it as a roadblock against the other racers, declaring proudly: "I think that I shall never see / A roadblock lovely as a tree." Further, Trappist monk, poet and spiritual writer Thomas Merton used Kilmer's poem as a model for a parody called "Chee$e"—with a dollar sign purposefully substituted for the letter "s"—in which Merton ridiculed the lucrative sale of homemade cheese by his monastery, the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. This poem was not published during Merton's lifetime. Merton often criticized the "commodification of monastic life and business for a profit", claiming that it affected the well-being of the spirit.Mahon, J. Patrick. "Technology and Contemplation", ChristFaithPower: Online Faith Community Dedicated to Thomas Merton (blog) (September 27, 2011). Retrieved June 17, 2013. In his poem, Merton attributed his parody to "Joyce Killer-Diller". Like Kilmer, Merton was a graduate of Columbia University and a member of its literary society, the Philolexian Society, which has hosted the annual Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest since 1986. "Trees" is read at the conclusion of each year's event.Haenschen, Katherine. "Poets Perform in Off-Beat Event" in The Columbia Spectator (December 1, 2000). Retrieved July 21, 2013. Kilmer's poem was recited in the 1980 film Superman II, as well as its 2006 director's cut. In the scene, villain Lex Luthor (played by Gene Hackman) and others enter Superman's Fortress of Solitude and comes across a video of an elder (John Hollis) from planet Krypton reciting "Trees" as an example of "poetry from Earth literature". Luthor ridicules the poem. In The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase, a poem is read by Hans Moleman: "I think that I shall never see, my cataracts are blinding me." On the Smothers Brothers Mom Always Liked You Best!'' album, Tommy Smothers recites his own humorous rendition. Webcomic artist Zach Weinersmith plays on an inherent contradiction in Kilmer's poem: "I think that I shall never see / a poem lovely as a tree. // Except for this one's sweet refrains; / let's print them on a tree's remains". References Notes Citations External links The Poems of Joyce Kilmer (1918) Poetry by Joyce Kilmer 1913 poems American poems Disney songs Songs based on poems