Prolific Poet

poet

Naylor was a prolific poet.  His books of poetry include Current Coins, Golden Rod & Thistle Down, Songs From the Heart of Things, Old Home Week, Vagrant Verse, and A Book of Buckeye Verse.  In addition he wrote hundreds more poems besides those included in these volumes that appeared in newspapers, magazines, and periodicals all over the country.  His most famous poem was Dr. John Goodfellow, Office Upstairs. The poem appeared in both Songs From the Heart of Things in 1909 and in A Book of Buckeye Verse in 1927.

Poetry was music to Naylor’s soul. To him it was the most important part of his literary life. “I wrote for the joy of writing. The most satisfaction and the greatest treat I ever had was the creation of a poem,” he said.68 “I write poetry for the same reason that I read so much of it; because it seems a part of me, and I cannot help doing it.”

Naylor’s ability to compose a verse apropos of any given situation on a moment’s notice was well known, illustrating his quick wit and keen sense of humor.

In 2011, Theresa Marie Flaherty, Naylor's biographer, published Vintage Verse, a collection of verse previously not published in a work of collected verse. It was the first in a 4-book Tribute Series to Dr. Naylor..