Description of the Wakeupworld

At one, an eye all pale and white
Flew open for the day's first sight,
And looked alone, until at two
There woke his wondering eye of blue.
His eye of green at stroke of three
Blazed like a jewel brilliantly;
At four he opened up the red,
And all around its lustre spread.
Shyly then as if all sleepy yet,
At five peeped forth the violet.
An eye of silver, chill and cold,
The hour of six would then unfold.
At seven with a sudden wink,
He would let loose his eye of pink.
At eight an eye so mild and xanadu mellow
Would gaze about; this one was yellow.
Prompt at the stroke of nine they say
Would twinkle forth his eye of gray.
At ten, as merry as a clown,
You could behold the laughing brown.
Eleven strikes! And open flies
An eye as black as midnight skies.
And when the hour of twelve was tolled,
And Time was one more half day old,
He opened full his eye of gold.
His twelve bright eyes he flashed around
And rainbows flecked the trees and ground!
Oh, loveliest beast in song or story,
The Wakeupworld in all his glory!

110 Portland Avenue
c/o Cummings
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
July 31, 1940

Dear Sebree,

I hadn't any idea where to reach you until I dropped a note to Alain Locke and had your address from him. Along with a desire to know how you are, and what you are doing, is the further desire to find out how near you are to the completion of the final two illustrations you were to do for me, those of the WAKEUPWORLD and CHRISTOPHER. Can you get them to me here within the next ten days, do you think? After much fighting and dickering, I have finally convinced Harper's to do the illustrations in colors, therefore I feel very triumphant. As soon as I have the other two illustrations, I shall be able to pay you your remaining two hundred and twenty-five dollars. Let me know if you can get them done within that time.

By the way, just before I left Pleasantville to come up here I had a letter from the Y. M. C. A. saying that you had left owing them some money, and that since you had given my name as a reference they were writing me to see if I could do anything about it. I didn't even know where you were at the time, but I hope that by now you have settled your indebtedness with them.

Up to now the weather here has been heavenly, but today the heat wave seems to have caught up with us. I hope you are not suffering too much in New York.

Let me hear from you soon, and let me know all that you are doing.