Happy Hanukkah! To celebrate the season, we’d like to honor one of our favorite lesbian Jewish writers, the legendary Gertrude Stein. Known perhaps as much for her experimental prose style as she is for her relationship with Alice B. Toklas, Gertrude Stein was born in Pennsylvania but spent most of her life in Paris helping to cultivate the modernist movement.

Stein was inspired by several distinct influences and experiences: her famous brother, Leo Stein; studying psychology with William James; a failed attempt to finish medical school; Picasso’s cubism (see Tender Buttons); the paintings of Cezanne and Matisse; and her frustrating attempt to gain recognition for her own work, including Three Lives, Things as They Are and The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, which told the story of their famous relationship.

The following poem, “Pink Melon Joy,” was published in Geography and Play.

“Pink Melon Joy”

My dear what is meat.

I certainly regret visiting.

My dear what does it matter.

Leaning.

Maintaining maintaining checkers.

I left a leaf and I meant it.

Splintering and hams.

I caught a cold.

Bessie

They are dirty.

Not polite.

Not steel.

Not fireless.

Not bewildered.

Not a present.

Why do I give old boats.

Theresa.

Exchange in bicycles.

It happened that in the aggregate and they did

not

hear then, it happened in the aggregate that they

were

alone.

It is funny. When examples are borrowing and

little

pleasures are seeking after not exactly a box

then comes

the time for drilling. Left left or left. Not up.

Really

believe me it is sheltered oaks that matter. It

is they

who are sighing. It really is.

Not when I hear it.

Further reading: A History of Jewish Lesbianism