Photograph

By Gertrude Stein

For a photograph we need a wall.
Star gazing.
Photographs are small. They reproduce well.
I enlarge better.
Don’t say that practically.
And so we resist.
We miss stones.
Now we sing.
St. Cloud and you.
Saint Cloud and loud.

I sing you sing, birthday songs tulip belongs to red cream
and green and crimson so that the house chosen has a soft wall.

Oh come and believe me oh come and believe me to-day oh
come and believe me oh come just for one minute
Age makes no difference.
Neither does the Vieux Colombier.
Why do you think of that at all.
I describe a different house.
So does Gabriella.
Twins.
There is a prejudice about twins.
Twins are one. Does this mean as they separate as they are
separate or together.
Let me hear the story of the twin. So we begin.

Photograph.

The sub title. Twin.
Two a twin.–Step in.
Margot.–Not a twin.
Lilacs.–For a twin.
Forget me nots.–By a twin.
Twin houses.
We are considering twin houses. I say.
Have I read all about twins.
And now to walk as twins walk.
Two twins have two doors.
One twin is a bore.
I exercise more. I walk before the twins door.
Dozens above the eggs dozens more.
Afternoons seen.
Mrs. Roberts.
Mrs. Lord
Mr. Andrew Reding.
Miss Nuttall
Mrs. Reading
Come in and be lame.
Come in together Alsatian.
A language tires.
A language tries to be.
A language tries to be free.
This one can be called Twinny.
She had one god-daughter
Burning.
We are very bitter.
We are bitter.
Railroads are mistaken
They insult us.
Now I can occasion remonstrance.
Miss Nuttall was born in America.
Mrs. Roberts was also born there.
Mr. Andrew Reding went to America.
Mrs. Reading was born in America.
Mrs. Lord was born in a boat
Now indeed this is not what I meant to say for this does not
describe my feeling.
My feeling is that one comes in more frequently than another
and yet they always come together. This is not exactly so. They
do come together but some come more frequently than others and
we like to see them all.
I can sigh to play.
I can sigh for a play.
A play means more.

Act Second

Two authors. Rabbits are eaten.
Dogs eat rabbits.
Snails eat leaves.
Expression falters.
Wild flowers drink.
The Star Spangled banner.
Read the notices.

Act III

A photograph. A photograph of a number of people if each
one of them is reproduces if two have a baby if both the babies
are boys what is the name of the street.
Madame.

Act IV

We say we were warm. Guess McAdam.
We say we talked about them.
Joseph moan, Edith atone, the bird belongs to the throne.
Birdie sing about an intention.
Did you intend to depress me. Certainly not I asked for a
translation. Do not compromise my father. Zero.
Baby was so interested in one part of the story. And I, I was
interested. And what can pearls mean. Pearls can mean some sort
of reason. It is very reasonable. I am very sleepy and burned.
Burned by the sun to-day.
Stand up to sing.

Act V

I make a sentence in Vincennes. It is this. I will never reason away George.