Details
WILDE, Oscar (1854-1900). Autograph manuscript signed, the first verse of his poem 'SERENADE', 8 lines, one page 4to (expert, almost invisible repair on verso of centre fold, slight browning), signed at foot, n.p., 11 January, n.y.
'The Western wind is blowing fair
across the dark Aegean sea,
and at the secret marble stair
my Tyrian galley waits for Thee ...'
The complete form of the poem consisting of five verses was published in the 1881 edition of Poems by Oscar Wilde, with the printed note 'For Music'. It is referred to in a letter from Wilde to Alfred Miles (circa 1892-93), published in Rupert Hart-Davis Letters of Oscar Wilde (1962), p.235, where he states 'You are quite at liberty to make any use of the poems you mention with the exception of 'The Dole of the King's Daughter', the 'Ballade de Marguerite', the 'Serenade', and the 'La Bella Donna'. These four I do not consider very characteristic of my work ...'
'The Western wind is blowing fair
across the dark Aegean sea,
and at the secret marble stair
my Tyrian galley waits for Thee ...'
The complete form of the poem consisting of five verses was published in the 1881 edition of Poems by Oscar Wilde, with the printed note 'For Music'. It is referred to in a letter from Wilde to Alfred Miles (circa 1892-93), published in Rupert Hart-Davis Letters of Oscar Wilde (1962), p.235, where he states 'You are quite at liberty to make any use of the poems you mention with the exception of 'The Dole of the King's Daughter', the 'Ballade de Marguerite', the 'Serenade', and the 'La Bella Donna'. These four I do not consider very characteristic of my work ...'