By: Julieta Delgadillo

Inspiration for the Project

 Tender buttons was the
most difficult poetry I have
ever attempted to analyze.
Within, that frustration I
came up with some tactics
in order to help facilitate
the process. I found myself
researching through her
biography’s, readings,
picture’s, and basically any
information I could find
based on her life. My
tender buttons book is filled
with underlined words,
marks, and conclusions I
made in order to make
more sense out of her
work.
The Rules
1. Read the Poem out loud. Disclose the
identity of the poet. Or any information about
the poem
2. Give each person a physical copy of the
poem and a writing utensil. Give them as
much time needed to mark or write opinions
about the poem.
3. Reveal the poet and tell them about the
poem.
 Jay
Cesar
Age: 23
Occupation: College
student (Nursing),
aspiring actor and model
Met: I’ve known Jay
since Jr. high, We’ve
been close friends for 3
yrs.
Jay’s Response
1. A sense of mystery and
ambiguity, darkness. Killing
something. It has to do with
someone in love with
someone or yearning
somebody. See an old house
(Victorian style) big windows/
big drapes. Late fall, early
Jay’s Response to
Question 2
 Ricardo
Garcia
Age:28
Occupation: Banker
Met: Through my mom (4
yrs ago) , close friends
for 3 yrs.
Rick’s Response
1. I think its about a student that has a crush
on the person sitting behind them or at
church. It makes you yearn for more. It’s a
happy poem to care for someone, having that
is awesome. Generalization about high
school. Green eyes?
Rick’s Response to
Question 2
 Julianna
Barba
Age: 24
Occupation: UCSB
student
Met: English class,
known her for 6months
Julie’s Response to
Question 2
1. Sadness, it’s about a girl poet, not about a
males perspective, anticipation and anxiety.
Dark chair weather's death, portrays death of
the soul, sounds depressed, battling
indecision of life.
Julie’s Response to
Question 2
Conclusion
Ultimately, I realize that maybe to have a
better understanding of Stein’s work I may
have had to live in the same city, be a close
friend, or lived in that particular year she
wrote the book. We may analyze a poem as
much as we want, but would our analysis
come as close as the people around Stein?
Could we truly gasped the understanding she
intended to demonstrate to the reader? Or is
her intention to make the reader wonder or to
explore beyond the poetic boundaries?