Fantastic felt tip sketch of a house and handwritten draft on a 9 x 12 manilla envelope. A working draft of Silverstein’s famous poem “A Light in the Attic.” The main text, in full: “There’s a light on in the attic / Though the house looks dark and / shuttered / I can see it flicker and sputter / through a crinkle in the shade / with a whisper. / There’s a light on in the attic / I can see it from the outside / and I know somebody’s inside / in there / lookin out / through that dark & dusty window / and I know somebody’s in there.” On the front of the envelope, he wrote “Galley Proofs” in bubble letters. In addition to various changes and corrections, Silverstein added a few lines to the left of the poem, as well as a cryptic series of capital letters down the left side. In very good to fine condition, with various folds, overall creases, and office notations. A Light in the Attic, a collection of Silverstein’s poetry published in 1981, is arguably his most famous work. This one-of-a-kind draft of the title poem lends tremendous insight into his process as an artist and poet, a truly remarkable piece. RR Auction COA.
