tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.comments2022-05-05T22:03:06.612-04:00The Steiny Road to Operadom <br>A book publishing trajectoryKarren Alenierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-34294264770704357782016-12-21T18:05:44.869-05:002016-12-21T18:05:44.869-05:00Ms Steiny! i am so surprised, coming for ModPo tha...Ms Steiny! i am so surprised, coming for ModPo that there could be any other entry point to Gertrude than Tender Buttons. I do love it so much, though i probably have truly taken in 20-30 lines in three years. not only do i move very slowly on shaky ground, but i have many things less wonderful than tender buttons in my life. But i am moved to think this is not the pleasant cup of coffee i might have at either nice coffee shop or even in my cozy wingback with its somewhat distressed heavy wooden end table. this seems to me to be more of a truck stop in the middle of the night on a not too busy road sort of coffee. the coffee, the table, the whole set up rather dirty and shabby. you know, more than double could also mean past 11, as in am, late for morning coffee, or like in my case so long ago, after 11 pm drinking to stay awake and keep my rig between the ditches until sunrise. of course with any poet, and especially GS, i could be completely wrong, but she is amazing fun! Thank you for this spot of Stein on my journey!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03376893876479172962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-24012496767756825572016-01-25T13:55:07.732-05:002016-01-25T13:55:07.732-05:00Stanza 19 which begins—A work which is a winding a...Stanza 19 which begins—<b>A work which is a winding a real winding of the cloaking of a relaxing rescue</b>, could also be pointing to Chapter 78: Cistern and Buckets of <i>Moby Dick</i>. In Chapter 78, Tashtego falls into the head of the sperm whale that is lashed to the side of the Pequod and then the whale head falls into the sea. Queequeg then jumps into the sea and pulls Tashtego out of the head and saves him—a spectacular rescue!<br /><br /><i>Now, how had this noble <b>rescue</b> been accomplished? Why, diving after the slowly descending head, Queequeg with his keen sword had made side lunges near its bottom, so as to scuttle a large hole there; then dropping his sword, had thrust his long arm far inwards and upwards, and so hauled out poor Tash by the head. He averred, that upon first thrusting in for him, a leg was presented; but well knowing that that was not as it ought to be, and might occasion great trouble; – he had thrust back the leg, and by a dexterous heave and toss, had wrought a somerset upon the Indian; so that with the next trial, he came forth in the good old way – head foremost. As for the great head itself, that was doing as well as could be expected.<br /><br /> And thus, through the courage and great skill in obstetrics of Queequeg, the deliverance, or rather, delivery of Tashtego, was successfully accomplished, in the teeth, too, of the most untoward and apparently hopeless impediments; which is a lesson by no means to be forgotten. Midwifery should be taught in the same course with fencing and boxing, riding and rowing.</i><br /><br />There is more to back up the language of Stein's stanza 19 and more.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-241362079441435752016-01-08T13:06:24.713-05:002016-01-08T13:06:24.713-05:00One more thought about the working cat—this could ...One more thought about the working cat—this could be short for a cat of nine tails whip.<br /><br />However, no one on the Pequod was whipped but there was the story about Steelkilt from the Town-Ho Whaler whose co-conspirators were whipped but he was about to be cut down after whispering something to the captain. Then he did get some strokes from the chief mate who Steelkilt got into a fight with.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-24123601395963546722015-12-26T15:00:54.829-05:002015-12-26T15:00:54.829-05:00So much fun to revisit "Breakfast.," Kar...So much fun to revisit "Breakfast.," Karren. When I read Pete's comment about hearing steady cake as steady state, well, state flower and state rubber in "Butter." came to mind. <br /><br />The Encyclopedia of Kitchen History (!) says this:<br />"Worldwide, cord made from natural fibers retained its importance for kitchen chores into the early 1900s, when rubber bands and synthetic materials began to replace traditional string and twine."<br />So, rubber bands were up and coming.<br /><br />The trade in rubber (and ivory) was also in the news at the end of the 19th century.<br />King Leopold of Belgium colonizes Central Africa and forms the Congo Free State. Leopold's original purpose for colonizing Congo was to harvest Ivory, derived from the tusks of elephants. In 1891 King Leopold II issued a decree giving himself total control over the ivory and rubber trade in the Congo.<br />We've seen hints of the exploitation involved in the production of sugar cane and cotton in other subpoems.<br /><br />Back in "Breakfast." we also talked about the possibility of a singular buttered flower referring to a decorative butter mold. Accordingly, I tried to find such molds made of rubber at Tender Buttons time, to no avail.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-41131208338790719302015-08-01T19:42:01.653-04:002015-08-01T19:42:01.653-04:00RHUBARB; SINGLE; FISH; CAKE;
I would like to mak...RHUBARB; SINGLE; FISH; CAKE; <br /><br />I would like to make it clear that Gertrude Stein's publisher may be responsible for an error in this run of the FOOD table of contents. The semi-colon between SINGLE and FISH should not be there. The subpoena between RHUBARB and CAKE is SINGLE FISH.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-85886016602625829952014-08-06T05:58:58.024-04:002014-08-06T05:58:58.024-04:00Here's a comment that was made during the disc...Here's a comment that was made during the discussion of "A Long Dress." that I want to preserve:<br /><br />My fist impulse was coded sex which you [Eleanor Smagarinsky and Tracy Sonafelt] have together explored well. Gertrude speaking to her rose Alice.<br /><br />My second impulse was going no where. I was thinking something about fashion, sewing. Maybe I was influenced by what Ron Silliman said about Project Runway and having seen an art exhibition mounted at the Stanford (University) in Washington (DC) art gallery where there were standing artful dresses: including a rose is a rose dress and "A Long Dress." dress. I was thinking charm school and the kind of trinkets hanging off a bracelet. I was thinking those luscious young women (roses all) on the fashion runway who need to be protected by gates. I was thinking how the behind the scenes (seams) seamstresses who take in and let out the dresses to make them fit the models. But who can deny the vacuum cleaner or language frameworks? Shall I wear out WOW some more, Eleanor? Shall we cow tip, Tracy that palendrome making it MOM? You gals you de best! do wop do wop, snap snap bop.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-26809325398429067312014-06-25T12:11:52.846-04:002014-06-25T12:11:52.846-04:00In the Corrected Centennial edition of Tender Butt...In the Corrected Centennial edition of Tender Buttons the letter s is added to this sub poem as follows: "...surely any s is unwelcome...".<br /><br />S sounds like the German pronoun "es" which translates as "it." "It" is used several times in this poem and might be referring to "livelihood"--the way Stein expected or expects to earn her way in her life time. The phrase "...surely any s is unwelcome..." might actually be interpreted as "...just any s is unwelcome..."--in other words not just any livelihood will do because she wants one that allows her to breathe and which perhaps is without worries (sinecure's root means without cure or without care)--something that feeds her soul. Curing people as doctor didn't offer what Stein wanted.<br /><br />Stein uses the word "is" in this sub poem 14 times. "S" added to "I" changes the pronoun "I" to a verb indicating existence. Stein may be saying that she is being judged for abandoning the medical profession but to exist she must find breathing room for herself (I) who became it (S), a target by those following a false god.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-43893154510949201072014-05-10T14:07:20.331-04:002014-05-10T14:07:20.331-04:00Pete,
Good find!
Yes, this Ford that was conver...Pete,<br /><br />Good find! <br /><br />Yes, this Ford that was converted into a supply truck to aid (Let's remember this word AID because of the last subpoem of "Objects"!) in the French war effort against Germany was called 'Auntie' by Stein. Stein's married-into-the-family paternal Aunt Pauline, married to her father's brother Solomon, 'behaved admirably in emergencies and behaved fairly well most times if she was properly flattered.' (I'm drawing this info from Diana Souhami's bio <i>Gertrude and Alice</i>). Stein's mother Milly disliked Pauline and quit talking to her around the time Gertrude was born.<br /><br />Auntie had wooden wheels about the size of bicycle tires. The windscreen was split in the middle to let in air. Gertrude was a bad driver—she didn't stay in lane, she never mastered backing up, and she was obtuse about following Alice's careful directions.<br /><br />Maybe the subpoem is why Stein named her supply truck Auntie after Aunt Pauline. <i>Tender Buttons</i> wasn't so far back in creation. Poets have a way of living in all time directions—maybe this is like aboriginal Dreamtime.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-77259349636475444752014-05-10T10:57:53.607-04:002014-05-10T10:57:53.607-04:00Look what i found in a review of alice's cookb...Look what i found in a review of alice's cookbook. They had a car ( an old military ambulance) that they called Pauline after GS's aunt.<br /><br />Much of the book uses the recipes as anchors for autobiographical and historical narratives. Her hot chocolate recipe, for instance, is served amidst the context of the war-torn Paris in the latter part of WWI in 1917, where Stein and Toklas volunteered to drive food and wood to hospitals in their ancient Model T Ford, lovingly nicknamed Auntie after Stein’s Aunt Puline:<br /><br />Aunt Pauline had been militarised and so could be requisitioned for any use connected with the wounded. Gertrude Stein evacuated the wounded who came into [the luxury hotel] Nîmes on the ambulance trains. <br />The poem has lots of possible car references.<br />the shudder to start it<br />a little dressing , if they were collecting wounded soldiers from the station, with wounds and dressing<br />Wide soles , on your shoe to connect with the foot peddles<br />leadish as it takes you places<br />life to arise her moon moon moon could be the sound of the starting engine <br />A letter ( T, model T ford), a cold sleeve , from the draft at the side, a blanket on your legs to keep warm and a regular window/ windscreen.<br />Widening received treading, it goes faster and further when you tread on the peddles ( although i think the throttle was actually on the steering column)<br />mention nothing , its hard to talk above the noise of it<br />Cough out , the exhaust and spluttering and occassional backfiring<br />Leather seats<br />dont jam the levers when you sit in it petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09517135462287472403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-15430676727544908402014-02-13T14:19:25.142-05:002014-02-13T14:19:25.142-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-55417355180253915922014-02-13T14:19:24.767-05:002014-02-13T14:19:24.767-05:00I'm posting this comment from Eleanor Smagarin...I'm posting this comment from Eleanor Smagarinsky that came after this blogpost was published:<br /><br />"...there is a very strong connection between menses and water in Jewish tradition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh<br /><br />"Also this section of the rules of the Mikveh seems to fit with the "CARELESS WATER." 'Even the very end of a single hair above the surface (or a single hair in her mouth) invalidates the Tviloh [immersion in the water].'"Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-50344004680670808322014-02-09T19:05:26.363-05:002014-02-09T19:05:26.363-05:00This was a truly joyful collaboration.This was a truly joyful collaboration.Eleanornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-87259199323732546322014-01-29T16:20:07.717-05:002014-01-29T16:20:07.717-05:00Charming, VERY charming!Charming, VERY charming!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-85299274072933987972014-01-24T13:37:49.752-05:002014-01-24T13:37:49.752-05:00I keep coming back to this video of Alice talking ...I keep coming back to this video of Alice talking about Gertrude's voice and laughter. It's sublime. What a find.Eleanornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-3977673599809786472014-01-19T16:20:30.766-05:002014-01-19T16:20:30.766-05:00A wonderful discussion we had about these poems. B...A wonderful discussion we had about these poems. But then again, each of our discussions is a gem. Thanks Karren, and special thanks to Dave for this great write-up. Onwards!!Eleanornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-70640188212655592092014-01-02T16:22:43.635-05:002014-01-02T16:22:43.635-05:00In the study of CHAIR, the group saw a connection ...In the study of CHAIR, the group saw a connection to the Lincoln assassination. Barbara Crary (Beeb) pointed out the connection to CARAFE with words like "spectacle" and "arrangement" but Steiny went in a little deeper and discovered that Lincoln was seeing the play "Our American Cousin" the night he was shot by John Wilkes Booth. Then reading the first line of CARAFE, became chilling:<br /><br />"A kind in glass and a cousin [title of the play Lincoln was seeing], a spectacle [a play] and nothing strange a single hurt color [blood] and an arrangement in a system to pointing."Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-5938551363594093552014-01-02T14:25:33.191-05:002014-01-02T14:25:33.191-05:00The connection with Whitman's poem is utterly ...The connection with Whitman's poem is utterly incredible. What a THRILLING discovery, Karren!!<br /><br />Also, look at that huge chair on which Lincoln is sitting...of course. Superb.Eleanornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-46225737104431216912013-11-25T22:33:46.063-05:002013-11-25T22:33:46.063-05:00Thanks, Tracy, for setting the record straight as ...Thanks, Tracy, for setting the record straight as well as reading the post! You wrote some amazing things.Karren Alenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397066137920309207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-793760233859945222013-11-25T15:53:33.122-05:002013-11-25T15:53:33.122-05:00For the record, I did not follow a Bernadette Maye...For the record, I did not follow a Bernadette Mayer writing experiment in my analysis of this poem. On my own, I observed and heard all of the “s” sounds and the way they echoed the sounds of seltzer, and when I isolated them, I simply noted the similarity of this type of culling process to a Mayer experiment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-38288602319316045162013-11-19T03:03:57.073-05:002013-11-19T03:03:57.073-05:00Posted a link to the work of the Button Collectiv...Posted a link to the work of the Button Collective here on my blog --<br /><br /><br />http://africanalchemy.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/renaissance-gertrude-stein/<br /><br />Mary from ModPoMaryahttp://africanalchemy.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-70561678887687141092013-10-27T08:23:13.092-04:002013-10-27T08:23:13.092-04:00This is a tour de force, E, both delightful and in...This is a tour de force, E, both delightful and insightful. Thank you for tenderizing this button so beautifully. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-26646428041721516822013-10-26T08:21:47.303-04:002013-10-26T08:21:47.303-04:00Right back atcha, T. Right back atcha, T. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-23486070656317308122013-10-26T08:20:23.506-04:002013-10-26T08:20:23.506-04:00Thank you kindly, Dory!Thank you kindly, Dory!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-19254947556594174662013-10-26T02:45:31.815-04:002013-10-26T02:45:31.815-04:00How lovely, E. Thank you for your generosity of sp...How lovely, E. Thank you for your generosity of spirit. In truth, I just followed in the footsteps of you and Steiny, picking up the bread crumbs dropped by the Buttoneers until I found “the small gasp of this clearing come ‘upon’ ‘again’.” Also thank you, Mark ... and thank you for the opportunity, K. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53841570921557123.post-57904675741946584702013-10-25T22:47:08.130-04:002013-10-25T22:47:08.130-04:00Tracy, your blog post is abundant of thought, exte...Tracy, your blog post is abundant of thought, extensive of explanation and comprehensive of course!!!Dory Maguirehttp://www.dorymaguire.com/noreply@blogger.com