Overview

• Raymond Chandler, famed crime novelist, wrote a rare poem titled 'Requiem' as a tribute to his late wife, Cissy Pascal Chandler, after her death in 1954.
• The poem, discovered in a shoe box at the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, was published in the winter edition of Strand Magazine.
• 'Requiem' is seen as a departure from Chandler's usual work, offering a heartfelt and intimate look into his grief and love for his wife.
• Chandler and Cissy had a strong bond, despite their age difference and frequent changes of residence; they reconciled after a brief separation and remained together until her death.
• Chandler's letters, which he cherished as reminders of their love, are believed to have been destroyed by him.