ANNE STEWART

Perception as a Furry Thing


Why must men sit so suggestively on trains?
This one is big and heavy. Aging new man,
a campaign of clean, oozing the cleverness of gym.
Legs wide apart and buttocks hunkered in,
of course, where else to slant his bottle down
but bang-slap-centre close up in between?
I toss about the he-does-he-doesn't-know of it;
appreciate the chunky awkwardness proclaiming,
in ebullient tone, that "It's a comfort thing".

But, then, that’s men. "Men come pre-validated"
according to the Stewart Theory of Easy Successful Men
(i.e. the ones who don't spend much time wondering what,
of anything they’ve ever done, they could do better than).
He stretches toes at me, looks me in the eye and grins,
fingers tightening on the bottle in his lap. I’m thinking
Cheek of him and Well, no mistake there then
when I spot the hat. Bang-slap-centre, the black
and softly furry hat I'm always cradling in mine.

Laura Litescu

Anne Stewart
 

Percepţia ca un lucru imblanit

De ce trebuie barbatii sa stea atat de provocator in tren
Acesta este mare si gras. Noul barbat matur,
o campanie despre curat, eliminand iscusinta salii de gimnastica.
Picioarele indepartate larg si fesele incordate,
bineinteles, cum altfel sa tina sticla cu capul in jos?
Trancanesc intruna despre dilema: el ştie-nu stie despre asta;
recunosc stanjeneala ciudata anuntand,
plina de entuziasm, ca “Este o problemade confort.”

Dar, apoi, asa sunt bărbaţii. “Ei au un termen de garantie”
Dupa cum zice teoria Stewart despre barbaţii de succes
(aceia care nu isi irosesc timpul gandindu-se la
tot ce au realizat pana acum, si la ce pot face mai bine).
Isi intinde picioarele spre mine, ma fixeaza cu privirea si ranjeste,
degetele sunt stranse pe sticla din poala. Ma gandesc
Sa ii fie rusine si, apoi, nu va fi nicio greşeala
cand voi descoperi palaria. Palaria neagra
si imblanita pe care o legan mereu.