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.

Mihaela Ghita

Anne Stewart
 

Perceptia ca un lucru blanos

De ce trebuie barbatii sa stea in pozitii atat de graitoare in tren?
Asta e mare si greoi. Un barbat nou, matur,
Intruparea igienei si a beneficiilor mersului la sala.
Cu picioarele larg desfacute si fesele asezate confortabil,
Desigur, unde in alta parte sa-si vare sticla daca nu
Fix intre ele?
Ma intreb daca stie sau nu stie;
Cantaresc stranietatea situatiei concluzionind,
incantata, ca “e o chestiune de confort”.
Dar, la urma urmei, asa sunt barbatii. “Vin pre-acceptati”
conform Teoriei lui Stewart privind barbatii usuratici de success
(mai precis, aceia care nu isi pierd vremea intrebindu-se daca ar fi putut
face mai bine ceva ce au facut).
Isi destinde degetele de la picioare, ma priveste si ranjeste,
mana i se inclesteaza pe sticla din poala. Imi spun
“Ce tupeu pe el” si “Clar, nu ne-am inselat in privinta astuia”
cand imi cad ochii pe palarie. Fix in mijloc, palaria
neagra si blanoasa pe care o adapostesc mereu intr-a mea.