Arthur Peterson weaving with a peg loom during one of his convalescent periods, ca. early 1930s. Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

Originally published in March of 1930, “Nothing Will Matter” displays Peterson’s frequent themes of lost love and melancholy. Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

Peterson wrote this poem from a hospital in Arizona for his mother while she was gravely ill in Minnesota in hopes that she would see it in the Chicago Tribune. She didn’t live to see “Memory Quilt;” it was coincidentally published on the day of her funeral. Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

Originally published December 8, 1926. Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

One of Peterson’s most popular poems with readers, “I Want a Pal” displayed the western motifs inspired by his stay at a Colorado sanitarium which became his signature style. His sentimental style earned him hundreds of fan letters from women around the Midwest. Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

The first of scores of Peterson’s poems to be picked up by the Chicago Tribune’s competitive editorial poetry column, “The Dentist Intervenes” describes his anguish at being left by a mysterious woman for a local dentist. Moe, Lawrence. “The Poetry of Colorado Pete.” Shevlin, MN: Clearwater County Historical Society, 2008.

Arthur Peterson (right) with his brother Andrew, 1919.

Detail view of a wood-relief carving titled "Immigrants" by Peter Wedin, 1930.