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Incredible ALS signed “John, xxx,” who adds a smiley face sketch, four pages of yellow ‘palm tree’ stationery, 7 x 8.5, January 1979. Addressed from the Dakota apartments in Manhattan, a lengthy handwritten letter from John Lennon to his cousin, Liela (Birch) Harvey, in full, “It's snowing — outside the window in Central Park — I can see the plaza Hotel across the way — it's beautiful. I'm exhausted (still) after Xmas/New Year — they even have a thing called Thanksgiving a few weeks before Xmas (by the way I'm a Pagan — a Zen Pagan to be precise — but that's another story!)
It looks as if we got our wires crossed on the ‘newspaper story’ — ie. Mimi (who else!) told me you were upset about something I said (supposed to have said) in the newspaper about myself — anyway enuff of that — it's obviously nothing — so let's forget that which we cannot remember anyway!
I don’t know why you were surprised by what I wrote you about your ‘Russian Affair’ — I thought I’d made it clear to you that the words were from a TAROT CARD READER — ie: I told him your story / birthdate etc — the words came through him — I just wrote down his prediction (whatever) re: your situation! — See? — so don’t shoot the bearer of news!!
Sean is a beautiful wise 3 yr old (born Oct. 9! — in case you didn't know) — what a handful one is — I don't know how you manage all yours — well done! The fact that they have all their limbs & faculties is an accomplishment in itself!
Sounds like a good idea about giving yourself some time to ‘play’ — 8 days doesn’t sound like you’ve turned gypsy tho’! — by the way —
You better give us a fair warning if your serious about ‘popping over’ here — ie: make sure I’m here — eg. Tomorrow we leave (Yoko & me) for…Cairo, Egypt (ring a bell?!) — via Geneva — on a business trip — for about a week — I wish we could dig up some of your father’s relatives — do you know anyone there? Any uncles / aunts? I’ll send you a postcard.
I'm 40 next year — I hope life begins — ie I'd like a little less ‘trouble’ and more — what? I don't know — I sent Steve a Xmas card (up North) — I don't know what is wrong with him — is he resentful of me because I’m not dumb or what?! I guess he was always jealous of you — anyway I still think it's pretty mean of him — I heard a lot from him when he was piss poor — I shouldn't be surprised after all the bastards I've met the last 40 yrs or so —
If you're ever in North Wales — look up Julian — he's in Rutlin School — poor sod.
I thought about you a lot this Xmas — the cottage — the record player — 'Good Ship Lollipop' — 'I found my love on TREASURE ISLAND’ — the Owl(s)? the shadows on the ceiling as the cars went by at night — putting up the paper-chains — even Norman turns into Santa Klaus in my memory! (muttering in the chair by the fire). Enuff of that too!
Lots of love, to all of you, I'm sure we'll see each other v. soon — somewhere or other — I'm almost scared to go to England, 'coz I know it would be the last time I saw Mimi — & I'm a coward about goodbyes. Have a good year, keep healthy.” Lennon adds below, “Love from Sean & Yoko, xx.” Additionally, Lennon incorporates a few small sketches to the stationery’s palm trees, including a camel, pyramids with a sun, and two waving figures. In fine condition, with a few small areas of ink spotting on the last page, due to moisture, not affecting signature or caricature.
A thoughtful, content-rich letter from John Lennon to his first cousin, Liela, reminiscing about childhood holidays, sharing news of his young son, Sean, and revealing his trepidation about a potential visit to Liverpool. Lennon, after moving to New York City in 1971, never did travel back home to England, a blend of business, green card issues, and, apparently, anxiety, being the chief reasons. Although Lennon often communicated with his aunt Mimi Smith, he never did see her again in person; Lennon was killed outside the Dakota the following year on December 8, 1980, at 40 years old, an age that, as this letter infers, Lennon had high hopes for. Given that Smith lived until 1991, there’s reason to believe that the two would have reunited had Mark David Chapman not interfered.
Lennon never returned to the United Kingdom, but, as this letter indicates, he did find his way to Egypt, embarking with his wife, Yoko Ono, for a planned ‘clandestine archeological dig’ arranged by art collector and family friend Sam Green. The proposed excavation never happened, but Lennon, an ardent history buff, spent several days sightseeing and exploring attractions like the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Step Pyramid of Djoser, where he explored the underground chambers. It’s storied that Lennon, having come upon an open sarcophagus, was unable to resist temptation and recklessly tore off a scrap of material as a souvenir. Worried that this blasphemous action would incur the mummy’s curse, Lennon reportedly called an emergency meeting with one of Yoko’s mystics.
Yoko Ono referenced her Egyptian trip with Lennon in her 1984 song ‘Let Me Count the Ways,’ which reads, in part: “Let me count the ways how I miss you / It’s like that oak tree in my childhood garden / It’s like that first summer I spent in Egypt / It’s like that warm evening you read to me / Both knowing deeply that it’s a good time / A good time for us. / Thank you, thank you, thank you.’
The offered letter was included as part of the 2012 book The John Lennon Letters, a collection of almost 300 letters and postcards that was edited and annotated by Hunter Davies, whose 1968 authorized biography The Beatles was published to great acclaim. The letter is referenced on page 349, with Davies writing the following:
‘In January 1979, John wrote one of his longest letters to his cousin Liela. In contrast to his letters to Derek, there is no wordplay, no silly jokes, no obscenities. He has just celebrated Christmas, following on from Thanksgiving, and is feeling nostalgic for his boyhood Christmases in England, painting a rather poignant picture of the games they played as children and the songs they sang.
Among other things, he tells her he is a Zen Pagan (a fascinating aside that evokes Lennon’s classic peace-promoting single ‘Imagine’), moans a bit about Aunt Mimi and Cousin Stanley, and raves about how beautiful Sean is. He also comments on Liela getting upset over something he is supposed to have said in a newspaper. It must have been an old interview, as in theory John was still in retirement. He did have a tendency to shoot his mouth off in interviews, saying fairly outrageous things about himself and his life. This was refreshing and entertaining from a fan's point of view, but relations and close friends were sometimes left feeling wounded by his comments.
The remarks about Egypt refer to Liela personally, as she had been born there. The reference to 'Russian affair' is not clear, but I assume it was something predicted for her in a tarot card reading. John was fascinated by such things, often consulting the stars, or similar.
Perhaps the most interesting and ultimately poignant remarks are about his turning forty next year. 'I hope life begins… I'd like a little less trouble.' He also confesses his cowardice at the thought of seeing Mimi, now aged seventy-three, for what would probably be the last time.’
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