15 mar 2013

[pic courtesy of Pedal Car Planet]

Male Stance, Male Gaze

Feeling this, what should be the form
Which the ungainliness already suggested
Should take?

— Louis Zukofsky, "'Mantis': An Interpretation"

I look up to see a fire truck
stopped at the curb behind us
wonder what the fire people are up to

I hand Mike the phone, push here
for the next step, I say

I look up at those firemen again
what’s going on, they say to me

I’m giving him his phone with a map
so he knows where to go

arms extended point & wave
you’re in the middle of the road, they say

I look around me — the car
snugged close to the curb, the fire truck, too
a sunny mid-morning, awfully quiet, no traffic
I look for disorder & find none

I’m giving him a map to find his way

I marvel at the tension, their energetic arms
one points, move the car into the parking lot

I’m standing beside a car on an empty road
still baffled, hearing their words, yes
but more than that, their anger — no, fury

I walk to the curb, stop one step away
stop at the bulk of the fireman's frantic wave
he reaches an arm as if to pull my arm

get out of the road, he says
as Mike drives away

I watch the firemen steaming & scowling
I say, your message is clear
I’m sorry for your trouble, I say

three shaking their heads
speaking to each other in lowered tones
turning back to their truck
job well done

jaywalking, I step across two lanes
I wonder, will they reengage?

I cross the median
then the two final lanes
make my way safely to the other side

no traffic, no disorder — oh so male
this enduring noise inside my head they’ve made