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Mary Webb. “The Birds will Sing.” Typescript poem, one leaf, 5¾″ x 6″, white wove watermarked paper. Twelve lines in two stanzas, one correction. Titled in black ink and typed in blue ink. An ink notation in the upper-right corner is crossed out, but reads: “(Sunday Pictorial).” The prevailing mood of this sad valedictory poem (one of Webb’s last) is of imminent separation from the beauty of an indifferent nature. Webb was at the peak of her power both as a poet and novelist but slowly dying from pernicious anemia and Graves’ disease. She suffered from migraine headaches, vertigo and depression. Mary’s illness would ultimately lead to her death at age forty-six.