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.

Elena Raluca Nebunoiu

Anne Stewart
 

Perceptia ca un obiect paros

De ce trebuie barbatii sa sada in pozitii atat de sugestive in tren?
Acesta este mare si greoi. Barbatul nou, in varsta,
o campanie de curatenie, emanand inteligenta salii de forta.
Cu fesele stranse sub el si picioarele departate,
bineinteles, unde altundeva sa isi sprijine sticla
decat drept in centru, chiar intre ele?
Discut cu el daca stie sau nu stie cum arata;
apreciez masivitatea stanjenitoare cu care proclama,
pe un ton entuziast, ca “E vorba de confort”.

Dar astia sunt barbatii. “Barbatii vin gata validati”
conform Teoriei Stewart despre Barbatii Usori si Intreprinzatori
(adica aceia care nu-si pierd timpul cu intrebari
despre nimic din ce-au facut sau ar putea face mai bine).
Isi intinde picioarele inspre mine, ma priveste in ochi si ranjeste,
cu degetele stranse pe sticla din poala. Gandesc
Ce tupeist si Deci nu gresesc in privinta lui,
si deodata zaresc palaria. Drept in centru, palaria
neagra si paroasa pe care o adapostesc mereu in poala mea.