The Public Glare
the woman
glared at me
as she sat opposite me
on the subway
as she glared
she tucked her skirt
tighter around her knees
<>
I suppose
to prevent my glance
from burrowing
to catch glimpse
of the gates of heaven
between her legs
<>
if she hadn’t glared
I would have been oblivious
I wasn’t looking at her
but at the man
who stepped aside
to let her sit
<>
the pillar of heaven
between his legs
was captivatingly
at both our eye levels
I looked down at my e.reader
<>
every time I glanced up
to the pillar of heaven
her glare accused me
of invading her privacy
I never go on public transit without something to read, not that I am addicted to reading but it gives my eyes something to look at beside the people around me. When its too crowded I try to focus on the shoulder of someone a few bodies from mine. I know enough about people shoes already 🙂
Surrendering our person space is, for many, an uncomfortable sacrifice for transit. One way I try to respect that is by only seeing enough not to walk into or over people. But sometimes eyes catch. I look away before it becomes a challenge & that usually works, unless, as in this moment we end up facing each other. It did make me wonder why some people wear what they do – like the time a woman with major cleavage stood directly in front me – it was too crowed for several stops to actually get up & I would hav had to hold my e.reader at eye level to avoid the valley in front of me.
I am aware of how many men look at women – I’ve seen teenage girls pass some men on the street & the men’s eyes follow them, almost hopefully. Once when such groups passed each the men actually stopped after a few steps to turn around & watch the girls walking. Were the women aware of this? Did they care? It’s no wonder women often don’t feel safe in public.
I remember one time, I have piece about this somewhere, getting on the subway & the only other person getting on was a woman. I got off a toys top & she was getting off there, from a different exit door. It was if I was following her. Outside we were walking in the same direction, she glanced back nervously, & we were about to turn up the same street, so I opted not to turn & went half-a-block in the wrong direct before turning back to get to my house.
Rarely is there a ‘pillar’ though to sooth my troubled vision, lol.
TOpoet 