[Rarebooks] FS: Scarce W. H. Auden Manuscript Poem

[Charles Agvent]

AUDEN, W. H.  AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT POEM: "Serenade"
1947 Holograph Manuscript of "Serenade," first published in the 
periodicals ATLANTIC in November 1947 and PHOENIX QUARTERLY in 1948 and 
later included in Auden's 1951 collection NONES. It consists of three 
stanzas, each with eight lines, on the recto of an unlined 8-1/2" x 11" 
paper neatly penned completely in Auden's hand with a SIGNED INSCRIPTION 
at the bottom "To Bill/from/Wystan./June 26th 1947." According to 
Mendelson, Auden composed this poem in June 1947. There are several 
differences in punctuation between this manuscript and the printed 
version, but more importantly are word changes in four lines. Auden 
salutes the "incumbent" night in the printed version but here salutes 
the "threatening" night at the end of the first stanza. "The child with 
careful charm" is here "The careful child with charm." Auden also uses 
"that" for "which" in line 22 and "from" for "of" in the last line. 
Alas, we do not know who Bill is. Once folded in quarters, there is a 
visible but not disconcerting crease mark where folded as well as some 
minor general wrinkling. Two words in the third line are a little 
smudged but still readable. With an early undated typed transcription. 
Very Good and scarce.   $7000
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