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.

Lavinia Palita

Anne Stewart
 

Perceptia ca un lucru imblanit

De ce trebuie barbatii sa se aseze atat de sugestiv in tren ?
Acesta e mare si greu. Imbatranesc barbatii tineri
Combatanti ai purificarii, evidentiind eficienta salii de sport.
Picioarele larg deschise, ghemuite pe sezut.
Desigur unde altundeva sa-si incline sticla
Daca nu intre picioare ?
Ma tot gandesc stie sau nu stie despre asta ;
Apreciind lipsa de tact, proclamand, pe un ton exuberant, ca Tine de comoditate.
In cele din urma acestia sunt barbatii. Barbatii vin pre-validati
Conform teoriei lui Stewart despre barbatii ce au success garantat (aceia care nu se gandesc prea mult timp la ce anume ar fi putut face mai bine din tot ce au facut deja).
Isi intinde degetele spre mine, ma priveste in ochi si ranjeste,
Cu degetele stranse pe sticla din poala. Ma gandesc Ce neobrazare din partea lui
Si totusi nu e nimic gresit, de-ndata ce-i zaresc palaria.
Fix in mijloc, palaria neagra, imblanita, dupa care tanjesc mereu.