This booklet was published on the occasion of the exhibition Where We Are: Selections from the Whitney's Collection, 1900-1960 at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The exhibition takes inspiration from W.H. Auden's poe "September 1, 1939." Auden, who was raised in England, wrote the poem in New York shortly after his immigration to the United States and the very outset of World War II. The title of the poem marks the date Germany invaded Poland. While its subject is the beginning of the war, Auden's true theme is how the shadow of global emergency reaches into the far corners of everyday life. Although mournful, the poem concludes by pointing to the individual's capacity to "show an affirming flame."

Staplebound, letterpress. 12 pages. 4" x 6".

Orders shipped within the United States are shipped via FedEx Ground and can take as long as 15 days to arrive. Orders ship Monday-Friday. Orders shipped outside the United States are shipped FedEx International Economy, which generally takes 7-15 days to arrive, depending on customs.

We are unable to ship to PO Boxes. All addresses must have a person available to sign for the package.

In the event of a missing package, please track the order with FedEx and contact a customer service representative at shop@whitney.org. An investigation will be opened and actions will be taken once the investigation has been closed.

All shipping charges are calculated by the weight and destination of the item. The shipping cost for your order will be figured when you check out. Shipping charges do not include duties, taxes or brokerage fees that may be applied to orders shipped outside of the U.S. These fees are the responsibility of the recipient of the order.

Memberships are processed and distributed by the Membership Department. Please contact the Membership department at (212) 570-3641 or memberinfo@whitney.org with questions concerning your membership.

If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return the merchandise for exchange or credit card refund within two weeks of delivery. Please contact our customer service representative at shop@whitney.org with any questions about returning or exchanging merchandise. Shipping charges are not reimbursed for returned items unless items were damaged or imperfect upon receipt. Drop shipped items are not able to be returned or exchanged, with the exception of damaged items.

Merchandise marked as a sale item is non-returnable.

Returns can be sent to:
Whitney Museum Shop Returns
99 Gansevoort Street
New York, NY 10014

September 1, 1939 by W. H. Auden

September 1, 1939 by W. H. Auden

Whitney Museum of American Art

About the Museum

Support