Two Serious Ladies is named for the 1943 short novel by Jane Bowles.

“I have my happiness, which I guard like a wolf, and I have authority now and a certain amount of daring, which, if you remember correctly, I never had before.”


― Jane Bowles
Two Serious Ladies

 

Lifting Belly by Astrid Lorange

Lifting Belly

a magazine of 18

a terminus 8

adjoins more prizes 21

again 8, 23, 25

all around 13, 23

and a hand 31

and a resemblance 14

and action and voices 19

and Caesar 30

and emergencies 47

and roses 4

and the intention 30

asks many more 26

can change to filling petunia 60

can perform aquatics 53

can see the condition 47

captures 26

comes extra 32

connects 25

etcetera 31

excuses 26

for me 26, 27

go around 24

has a dress 34

has charm 6

has sparks 25

in a flash 59

in a mess 34

in order 34

in reserve 47

makes a sound 13

oh yes 17, 25

plainly 34

raining 18

says pardon 33

squeezes 31

to a throne 27

to me 11, 15, 19

to please me 22

together 8, 17

try again 10

until tomorrow 19

very well 25

with firmness and pride 32

with industry beside 32

you don’t say so 25

yes address me 29

yes Miss 29

        __

Lifting Belly

articulately 27

astonishingly 38

beneficently 44

casually 43

categorically 38

cautiously 35

cleanly 44

exactly 22, 37

fairly 40

famously 31

fattily 21

grandly 40

gratuitously 31

heroically 36

partially 46

phlegmatically 26

magnetically 29

merely 21

nattily 46

naturally 35, 42, 43

naturally celebrates 25

permanently 29

precariously 34

presumably 33

quietly 13

resignedly 36

separately all day 27

soundly 46

splendidly 23

sufficiently 40

tenderly 51

unerringly 33

visibly 45

        __

Lifting Belly

(an instant of) 9

(another) 24

(careful don’t say anything) 19

(cherished and flattered) 35

(does that astonish you) 15

(don’t think of it) 32

(enormously and with song) 61

(I have no use for) 11

(I say) 27

(increase) 31

(in time) 24

(keep it) 17

(mentions the bee) 45

(reminder of present duties) 43

(such a good example) 29

(the best and only seat) 43

(the charm) 43

(the hill above) 11

(three eggs in) 55

(very fatiguing) 14

(what is earnest) 17

        __

Lifting Belly is

a chance 48

a credit 54

a great luxury 18

a language 17

a miracle 48, 52

a persuasion 18

a picnic 11

a special pleasure 14

a success 14

a third 18

a way of sitting 16

all there 7, 12

all right 13

alright 5

amiss 5

an acquisition 16

an exercise 13

an expression 16

an occasion (to please me) 9

anxious 8

arrogant 47

astonishing 53

cautious 16

charming 59

courteous 9

current rolling 15

delightful 7

easy to me 43

exact 35

exacting 41

famous 15

famous for recipes 52

favored by me 35

for me 48

full of charm 41

good 8

gratifying 14

harmonious 47

here 20

hilarious, gay and favourable 9

in bed 59

loved 43

mean 13

more 37

most kind 22

my joy 14, 29

necessarily venturesome 42

no joke 6, 9

not an invitation 32

not noisy 16

not so kind 13

not startling 19

not very interesting 7

noted 35

notorious 20

peaceable 14

perfect 14

precious 48

proud 52

recognised 33

reproachful 45

resourceful 41

rich 38

right 10

smooth 53

so 15

so a measure of it all 11

so able to be praised 11

so accurate 6, 32

so adaptable 16

so bold 43

so careful 13

so clear 12

so cold 6

so consecutive 12

so dear 13, 20, 53

so droll 16

so erroneous 6

so exact and audible 18

so exciting 26

so generous 54

so good 37

so high 7

so kind 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 32, 42, 47, 55

so kind to many 10

so kind to me 10

so long 15

so near 13

so necessary 9

so nice 26

so pleased 56

so orderly 36

so recherché 27

so round 24

so satisfying 12, 15

so scarce 9

so seen 15

so simple 13

so soothing 10

so successful 54

so strange 21, 53

so strong 6, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17

so strong and willing 10

so strong and yet waiting 10

so sweet 12, 58

so warm 13

such a reason 16

such a windmill 11

such an incident in one’s life 9

such an experiment 13

such exercise 9

sugar 59

the only spectacle present 17

the understanding 16

to jelly 20


Page numbers refer to the 1989 edition of Lifting Belly by Gertrude Stein (Naiad Press, Tallahassee). 

Astrid Lorange writes on indexes and Gertrude Stein, and is currently finishing her dissertation, which is a critical index of Stein. She has previously written Eating and SpeakingMinor Dogsand Pussy pussy pussy what what. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

Shell of an egg in an effort by Anne Marie Rooney

Don't Cry Lucia by Kendra Grant Malone