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.

Eveline Braniste

Anne Stewart
 

Perceptia ca un lucru imblanit

De ce barbatii trebuie sa stea asa sugestiv in trenuri?
Acesta e mare si greoi. Un om nou imbatranind,
o campanie a curateniei, debordand de miracolele gimnasticii.
Cu picioarele desfacute larg si fesele incordate,
fireste, unde sa-si rezeme sticla
decat hodoronc-tronc intre picioare?
Ma tot framant daca isi da sau nu seama despre asta;
apreciez marea ciudatenie de a proclama,
pe un ton entuziast, ca „E o chestiune de confort”.

Dar pana la urma asa sunt barbatii. „Ei vin deja aprobaţi”
conform teoriei lui Stewart despre barbatii care isi castiga usor succesul
(si anume, cei care nu isi petrec prea mult timp gandindu-se
la tot ce au facut si ar fi putut face mai bine).
Isi intinde degetele spre mine, ma priveste in ochi si zambeste,
cu degetele stranse pe sticla dintre picioare. Ma gandesc
Ce nerusinat si Ei, bine, nu m-am inselat
cand zaresc palaria. Hodoronc-tronc, palaria
de furie intunecata si usoara pe care o adapostesc mereu in mine.