Thank you for finding this, Fiona. I would argue that this is one of the first instances of performance poetry--true it probably isn't memorized and is probably read off the page, but I think Gertrude Stein was ahead of her time and you have to consider that this was probably recorded in the '50s!
Oh I absolutely agree, Stein was V ahead of her time, in all sorts of ways! This piece would absolutely fit into the 'experimental poetry' category and 'sound poetry' categories being so rigorously discussed 'now' in smaller (but v vital) circles of poets and poetry lovers.
I am looking at this idea of Contemporary Linguistically Innovative Poetry, over at Inbetwixt too ... there's some good links there, for those who are curious.
Some things are designed to fail. This is one of those brave failings in severe need of an expert editing that might have kept the lantern undoused; far too enamored with it's own excesses. But this piece of Stein's, in spite of all her other literary victories, at the end of the day is far too clever and silly for its own good. There's simply no there there.
While I applaud her effort, she did well to leave poetry to the more deftly-handed.
Comments
Oh I absolutely agree, Stein was V ahead of her time, in all sorts of ways! This piece would absolutely fit into the 'experimental poetry' category and 'sound poetry' categories being so rigorously discussed 'now' in smaller (but v vital) circles of poets and poetry lovers.
I am looking at this idea of Contemporary Linguistically Innovative Poetry, over at Inbetwixt too ... there's some good links there, for those who are curious.
While I applaud her effort, she did well to leave poetry to the more deftly-handed.
I first hear this recording in about 1965 and loved it. How wonderful to hear it again!