Emmalea Russo
they
Emmalea Russo
The poem has in it a vast horizon of Theys that describes both the limit of one’s depth of field as reader and the potential of gazing beyond. ―Joan Retallack, “On Not Not Reading Stanzas in Meditation: Pressures and Pleasures of the Text”
I always say that you cannot tell what a picture really is or what an object really is until you dust it every day and you cannot tell what a book is until you type it or proofread it. It then does something to you that only reading it never can do. ―Gertrude Stein, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
I do not care that he should make threads so Threads are tenderly heads are tenderly so and so ―Gertrude Stein, Stanzas in Meditation
PART 1
I retyped the fifteen Stanzas that comprise Part One of Stein’s Stanzas in Meditation on my typewriter during the summer of 2013 in Brooklyn, NY. Next, I sewed through the Stanzas, (th)reading my way around the pronoun they. My source text is the 2012 Corrected Edition of Gertrude Stein’s Stanzas in Meditation.
PART 2
While extracting occurrences of the pronoun they line by line, I made some intuitive choices. In most cases, I included only the word directly following they. In the case of a line ending with they, I included the word preceding it. If the pronoun carried the entire line, I included the entire line. I think of these they-transcriptions as small poems within the text. My mostly intuitive decisions about the lines are a result of the immense generative capabilities of Stein’s work.
Stanza I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
they they they they they they they
thought taught. were meant should must are
They like they ever they are they could they chose. they need as they are alike they will they have they minded they open they antagonise they mind
STANZA II 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
they come They could they change they can be They will they like they call it further mutinously they they they they
made it rather now come and can like it always can
they will willingly they are they like they they they they they they
will can come care thought away. eat again
they will they will
They have they will
they do
they like it here.
STANZA III 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
they could they are they all they make they have
they needed they did
STANZA IV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
they ask they will they must they mind what they will need They may they can they they they they they
miss for which they ask it more can need can have
they do they need They must they have may they they be they cover they will they sustain
They they they they
can call change can think did they all
they could
they win they won they win
They will
STANZA V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
they shall They they they They
thought wish can try
they wish they wish they wish they claim
they tell lightly. They cannot They can they wait.
STANZA VI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
they ask they merit they measure they they they they They
name are can do attach like
they cause they may
they they They they
like it like do they refuse like they hope
they not they have
they They They They
joined for which they knelt can call that they were fortunate. may may.
they know theirs to undo
they are they may They They they they they they they
call forget could they ever have liked come like
53 54 55 56 they have 57 58 they call 59 60 They will 61 62 63 64 65 66 67
STANZA VII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
they need land they are alike they can They may they mean they can force it They knew they could they were They were
they are they will be famous. they can they could which they could They they they they
may knew knew will
they think they shall they can
they be mostly they finish
STANZA VIII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
they came they were they could they felt
they came they come they marry they left They they They They they They
will call. are they see which mean can
They will
they they they they they they they
feel as well feel as well. like or where they went. must do know wish
They may they called which they could They mean me when they mean me
STANZA IX 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
they may they had
They they they they
will never they know like where they happen will
they froze
STANZA X 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
they remember They might which they not They will They may they will they will they may which they made made unkind they asked they like they are able to agree they like they chose they be they mean will they come. they will they know they should they have they manage they will interlace they will as they belong they they they they
will may do which they may say may do whatever they do say mention
they call
they will they meant
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
they can they ripen they are they will they do. They will they feel
They or they be they be
They could they advance.
STANZA XI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
they they they they they
are may will may can
they they they they
be well awakened because they have not heard come caused could
they they they they
as may will go try but which they try
they come They have they could always please they liken
They may they will They will they differ They do they could they like they come they manage they knew they call they knew.
STANZA XII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
they they they they they they they they
wish silence stand may be more alike than they find finely care arrange frustrate lie down
They do not they might have mention they are they may count they come.
STANZA XIII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
they they they they they
make like which they may like soon wish as a button arrange which they wish may attire where they need call
STANZA XIV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
They like they may they may in June. they plan they be they may
they ran for which they will they they they they they they they they they they
can with what they have may may be here. arrange what they like. are or are not anxious sit are wait go feel when they like it
they are after they might do. they did say when they mentioned it they could please that they see where they are there
STANZA XV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
they they they they they
may they might they delight must might they might might they look see they look
they do
They look they see They look they talk they may they look they They they They
wish they were. see they have may care they care
they may they are they with they will they will they will they they they they They they they
like be they like have will are will prepare
They they they they they
will they compel see they see be could have
they will they like
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
they like they need they mind they they they they They
look will make see turn not their back to the scenery
they might
they think
they find the clouds white
they they They they they
tell do if they do do they carry did think well of well wishers.
Thanks to Joseph and Ruthann Russo for the typewriter. Thanks to Josh Fishbein for paper. Thanks to Jen Bervin for thread.
Emmalea Russo
The poem has in it a vast horizon of Theys that describes both the limit of one’s depth of field as reader and the potential of gazing beyond. ―Joan Retallack, “On Not Not Reading Stanzas in Meditation: Pressures and Pleasures of the Text”
I always say that you cannot tell what a picture really is or what an object really is until you dust it every day and you cannot tell what a book is until you type it or proofread it. It then does something to you that only reading it never can do. ―Gertrude Stein, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
I do not care that he should make threads so Threads are tenderly heads are tenderly so and so ―Gertrude Stein, Stanzas in Meditation
PART 1
I retyped the fifteen Stanzas that comprise Part One of Stein’s Stanzas in Meditation on my typewriter during the summer of 2013 in Brooklyn, NY. Next, I sewed through the Stanzas, (th)reading my way around the pronoun they. My source text is the 2012 Corrected Edition of Gertrude Stein’s Stanzas in Meditation.
PART 2
While extracting occurrences of the pronoun they line by line, I made some intuitive choices. In most cases, I included only the word directly following they. In the case of a line ending with they, I included the word preceding it. If the pronoun carried the entire line, I included the entire line. I think of these they-transcriptions as small poems within the text. My mostly intuitive decisions about the lines are a result of the immense generative capabilities of Stein’s work.
Stanza I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
they they they they they they they
thought taught. were meant should must are
They like they ever they are they could they chose. they need as they are alike they will they have they minded they open they antagonise they mind
STANZA II 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
they come They could they change they can be They will they like they call it further mutinously they they they they
made it rather now come and can like it always can
they will willingly they are they like they they they they they they
will can come care thought away. eat again
they will they will
They have they will
they do
they like it here.
STANZA III 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
they could they are they all they make they have
they needed they did
STANZA IV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
they ask they will they must they mind what they will need They may they can they they they they they
miss for which they ask it more can need can have
they do they need They must they have may they they be they cover they will they sustain
They they they they
can call change can think did they all
they could
they win they won they win
They will
STANZA V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
they shall They they they They
thought wish can try
they wish they wish they wish they claim
they tell lightly. They cannot They can they wait.
STANZA VI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
they ask they merit they measure they they they they They
name are can do attach like
they cause they may
they they They they
like it like do they refuse like they hope
they not they have
they They They They
joined for which they knelt can call that they were fortunate. may may.
they know theirs to undo
they are they may They They they they they they they
call forget could they ever have liked come like
53 54 55 56 they have 57 58 they call 59 60 They will 61 62 63 64 65 66 67
STANZA VII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
they need land they are alike they can They may they mean they can force it They knew they could they were They were
they are they will be famous. they can they could which they could They they they they
may knew knew will
they think they shall they can
they be mostly they finish
STANZA VIII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
they came they were they could they felt
they came they come they marry they left They they They They they They
will call. are they see which mean can
They will
they they they they they they they
feel as well feel as well. like or where they went. must do know wish
They may they called which they could They mean me when they mean me
STANZA IX 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
they may they had
They they they they
will never they know like where they happen will
they froze
STANZA X 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
they remember They might which they not They will They may they will they will they may which they made made unkind they asked they like they are able to agree they like they chose they be they mean will they come. they will they know they should they have they manage they will interlace they will as they belong they they they they
will may do which they may say may do whatever they do say mention
they call
they will they meant
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
they can they ripen they are they will they do. They will they feel
They or they be they be
They could they advance.
STANZA XI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
they they they they they
are may will may can
they they they they
be well awakened because they have not heard come caused could
they they they they
as may will go try but which they try
they come They have they could always please they liken
They may they will They will they differ They do they could they like they come they manage they knew they call they knew.
STANZA XII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
they they they they they they they they
wish silence stand may be more alike than they find finely care arrange frustrate lie down
They do not they might have mention they are they may count they come.
STANZA XIII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
they they they they they
make like which they may like soon wish as a button arrange which they wish may attire where they need call
STANZA XIV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
They like they may they may in June. they plan they be they may
they ran for which they will they they they they they they they they they they
can with what they have may may be here. arrange what they like. are or are not anxious sit are wait go feel when they like it
they are after they might do. they did say when they mentioned it they could please that they see where they are there
STANZA XV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
they they they they they
may they might they delight must might they might might they look see they look
they do
They look they see They look they talk they may they look they They they They
wish they were. see they have may care they care
they may they are they with they will they will they will they they they they They they they
like be they like have will are will prepare
They they they they they
will they compel see they see be could have
they will they like
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
they like they need they mind they they they they They
look will make see turn not their back to the scenery
they might
they think
they find the clouds white
they they They they they
tell do if they do do they carry did think well of well wishers.
Thanks to Joseph and Ruthann Russo for the typewriter. Thanks to Josh Fishbein for paper. Thanks to Jen Bervin for thread.
