Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) was a famous avante-garde writer who Paris home became a gathering place for the leading artists and writers between World War I and World War II. Stein and her brother Leo were among the first critics to recognize and support Cubism. As an expatriate American writer, she attempted to mirror her written work to that of Cubism through the use of repetition, simplification, and fragmentation.[ Click to Order A Stein Reader (ed. Ulla Dydo - soft $$) ]

ORANGE.
Why is a feel oyster an egg stir. Why is it orange centre.
A show at tick and loosen loosen it so to speak sat.
It was an extra leaker with a see spoon, it was an extra licker with a see spoon.

ORANGE.
A type oh oh new new not no not knealer knealer of old show beefsteak, neither neither.

ORANGES.
Build is all right.

ORANGE IN.
Go lack go lack use to her.
Cocoa and clear soup and oranges and oat-meal.
Whist bottom whist close, whist clothes, woodling.
Cocoa and clear soup and oranges and oat-meal.
Pain soup, suppose it is question, suppose it is butter, real is, real is only, only excreate, only excreate a no since.
A no, a no since, a no since when, a no since when since, a no since when since a no since when since, a no since, a no since when since, a no since, a no, a no since a no since, a no since, a no since.
---
1914. Tender Buttons. (From "Food")

Tender Buttons consists of three sections: Objects, Food, and Rooms. Her repetition and innovative perspective allows the reader to see many common objects and items for the first time -- the words and the actual object. In addition, this view allows the reader to see the slippage of words, in which a word like "leaker" is changed to become "licker" of a spoon in the fourth line. The strange is made familiar (and vice-versa).

Click here for a review of Margaret Dickie's Stein, Bishop, & Rich: Lyrics of Love, War, & Place

Links of Interest:

Gertrude Stein
This site features a brief biography and online texts of the poet.
Gertrude Stein
This site features a series of pages discussing Gertrude Stein.
Bibliography of Gertrude Stein's Work
Gertrude Stein, Tender Buttons: Objects, Food, Rooms
This site features the text to Stein's experimental book: Tender Buttons.