(LITERATURE AND POETRY.) BALDWIN, JAMES. Typed Letter Signed. two and one half folio pages with manuscript additions, with the original envelope. St Paul Alpes Maritimes, June 17, 1985
A letter with superb content written to close friend and fellow writer Shawn Henderson. In it Baldwin talks about the imminent French publication of his book 'The Evidence of Things not Seen. 'My book concerning the Atlanta child murders (-evidence of things not seen) is being published, here, in France shortly before it appears in America.' He discusses contract battles in New York, and how they are known to 'every publisher in the world.' He praises Henderson's play 'If Only I Could Sing,' and suggests that they get together and perhaps work on something together. And finally 'Hey. While writing to you, I thought of a poem. If you like it, consider that it was written for you---Here it is: 'When Death comes creeping/ Love comes out/ and Stammers to Death/ What it's all about. Death doesn't hear this, / but rides away/ knowing he'll be back another day.' He adds another four lines but then crosses them out, and writes instead in pen 'Bored to death with Death and wondering, now how come love always answers him somehow.' A great letter with a lot of very personal content.'
