[Rarebooks] FS: Scarce W. H. Auden MANUSCRIPT POEM from estate of Robert Medley who suggested that Auden try writing poetry
Charles Agvent
chagvent at ptd.net
Thu Apr 10 09:04:19 EDT 2014
AUDEN, W. H. AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT POEM (Juvenilia - 4 pages): "Bank
Holiday" Exceptionally scarce 4-page AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT of a poem
written by Auden as a teenager. Published in THE OXFORD OUTLOOK in
November 1926 and not published in book form until 1994 in W. H. AUDEN
JUVENILIA edited by Katherine Bucknell, from which much of the
information below was acquired. Two other manuscript copies of this poem
are known to exist, in the collections of David Ayerst (Bloomfield J16)
and of Christopher Isherwood, neither exactly identical to this but both
resembling this much more than the published version which eliminated
several stanzas present here. All told there are 78 lines divided into
three sections on both sides of two 6-7/8" x 8-7/8" sheets of paper
watermarked "Civic Bond" that have long ago been neatly joined by a
conservator who also made several paper repairs. The poem begins "The
queen's hand on the king's cold shoulder falling." Bucknell points out
that the poem is reminiscent of THE WASTE LAND with the left out
passages revealing some borrowing from Eliot's "The Hollow Men." This
manuscript was acquired along with a letter from Auden to Robert Medley
and was likely given to Medley at some point. Auden met and became
friends with Medley in 1922 shortly after Auden's 15th birthday. It was
Robert Medley who suggested that Auden try writing poetry. Later Medley
helped to create the Group Theater where he provided scenery and
costumes for the play ON THE FRONTIER by Auden and Isherwood. Several
words on the last page are partly faded and obliterated by a repaired
tear. A spectacular find in Good to Very Good condition. (#011818)
$8,500.00
http://www.charlesagvent.com/shop/agvent/011818.html
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