Mutton

Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) · 1914

47 lines · from Tender Buttons

A letter which can wither, a learning which can suffer and an outragewhich is simultaneous is principal.

Student, students are merciful and recognised they chew something.

Hate rests that is solid and sparse and all in a shape and largely verylargely. Interleaved and successive and a sample of smell all this makesa certainty a shade.

Light curls very light curls have no more curliness than soup. This isnot a subject.

Change a single stream of denting and change it hurriedly, what does itexpress, it expresses nausea. Like a very strange likeness and pink,like that and not more like that than the same resemblance and not morelike that than no middle space in cutting.

An eye glass, what is an eye glass, it is water. A splendid specimen,what is it when it is little and tender so that there are parts. Acentre can place and four are no more and two and two are not middle.

Melting and not minding, safety and powder, a particular recollectionand a sincere solitude all this makes a shunning so thorough and sounrepeated and surely if there is anything left it is a bone. It is notsolitary.

Any space is not quiet it is so likely to be shiny. Darkness very darkdarkness is sectional. There is a way to see in onion and surely verysurely rhubarb and a tomato, surely very surely there is that seeding. Alittle thing in is a little thing.

Mud and water were not present and not any more of either. Silk andstockings were not present and not any more of either. A receptacle anda symbol and no monster were present and no more. This made a pieceshow and was it a kindness, it can be asked was it a kindness to have itwarmer, was it a kindness and does gliding mean more. Does it.

Does it dirty a ceiling. It does not. Is it dainty, it is if prices aresweet. Is it lamentable, it is not if there is no undertaker. Is itcurious, it is not when there is youth. All this makes a line, it evenmakes makes no more. All this makes cherries. The reason that there is asuggestion in vanity is due to this that there is a burst of mixedmusic.

A temptation any temptation is an exclamation if there are misdeeds andlittle bones. It is not astonishing that bones mingle as they vary notat all and in any case why is a bone outstanding, it is so because thecircumstance that does not make a cake and character is so easilychurned and cherished.

Mouse and mountain and a quiver, a quaint statue and pain in an exteriorand silence more silence louder shows salmon a mischief intender. Acake, a real salve made of mutton and liquor, a specially retainedrinsing and an established cork and blazing, this which resignationinfluences and restrains, restrains more altogether. A sign is thespecimen spoken.

A meal in mutton, mutton, why is lamb cheaper, it is cheaper because solittle is more. Lecture, lecture and repeat instruction.

Words in this poem 15
sparse v. t.
To scatter; to disperse. [L. sparsus, p.p. of spargere to scatter.]
curliness n.
State of being curly.
centre v. i.
To be placed in a center; to be central.
minding n.
Regard; mindfulness.
shiny a.
Bright; luminous; clear; unclouded.
sectional a.
Of or pertaining to a sections or distinct part of larger body or territory; local.
dainty n.
Value; estimation; the gratification or pleasure taken in anything. [OE. deinie, dainte, deintie, deyntee, OF. deintié delicacy, orig., dignity, honor, fr. L. dignitas, fr. dignus worthy. See Deign, and cf. Dignity.]
undertaker n.
One who undertakes; one who engages in any project or business.
curious a.
Difficult to please or satisfy; solicitous to be correct; careful; scrupulous; nice; exact. [OF. curios, curius, F. curieux, L. curiosus careful, inquisitive, fr. cura care. See Cure.]
outstanding a.
That stands out; undischarged; uncollected; not paid; as, outstanding obligations.
quaint a.
Prudent; wise; hence, crafty; artful; wily. [OE. queint, queynte, coint, prudent, wise, cunning, pretty, odd, OF. cointe cultivated, amiable, agreeable, neat, fr. L. cognitus known, p. p. of cognoscere to ]
intender n.
One who intends. Feltham.
mutton n.
A sheep. Chapman. [OE. motoun, OF. moton, molton, a sheep, wether, F. mouton, LL. multo, by transposition of l fr. L. mutilus mutilated. See Mutilate.]
resignation n.
The act of resigning or giving up, as a claim, possession, office, or the like; surrender; as, the resignation of a crown or comission. [F. résignation. See Resign.]
altogether adv.
All together; conjointly. [OE. altogedere; al all + togedere together. See Together.]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

Mutton is in the public domain. This text is taken from Tender Buttons: Objects, Food, Rooms, Project Gutenberg ebook #15396; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Gertrude Stein, Mutton, in Tender Buttons (1914), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #15396, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/stein-tender-buttons/food-mutton.html, id L28690.

About this section

Mutton is prose, printed in 13 paragraphs. It is part of the edition and is kept for reading, but nothing here is measured: the line breaks are the printer's, so no metre, rhyme scheme or scansion is stated.

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