27 LITERATURE Rare first edition, presentation copy, of Silverstein’s first collection of witty and whimsical poetry, warmly inscribed by him with eleven lines of humorous verse “Nothing Rhymes,” signed by him with, with a drawing of a hand holding a pen finishing the signature. “The poems, ranging from serious to silly, from philosophical to ridiculous, allow the reader or listener—the rhyme and rhythm… make them perfect for reading aloud—to discover Silverstein’s greatest gift: his ability to understand the fears and wishes and silliness of children” (Silvey, 602). The lengthy, warm inscription reads (in Silverstein’s characteristic all-caps lettering): “Nothing Rhymes. Nothing rhymes with Mercier / If you pronounce it Frenchly / If you’d pronounce it ‘Merican / You’d help me most immensely / ‘Cause then I’d write some versier / That would be terse or tersier / Cursory or cursier / Or maybe worse or worsier / So ‘Fol-de-rool, Fol-de-ray.’ / What the hell do you expect— / Nothing rhymes with Mercier / Love, Shel.” Cotsen 10243. The “Mercier” of the inscription perhaps refers to Jean Mercier, the children’s book editor of Publisher’s Weekly, which printed Mercier’s interview with Silverstein in 1975. Mild toning to cloth edges; dust jacket crisp but toned with a bit of soiling to rear panel. Rare and desirable with an original autograph poem signed by Silverstein. “What The Hell Do You Expect—Nothing Rhymes With Mercier” 35SILVERSTEIN, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York, 1974. Small quarto, original brown cloth, dust jacket. $16,500
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