Wayman in love - the sociological gaze

One of my all-time favourite poems is by the Canadian poet Tom Wayman and its called Wayman in Love. It's a funny poem about a very serious matter - the intrusion of what I call the "sociological gaze" into the intimate lives of ordinary people. Sociologists think they have a right to study everything and everyone. Nothing is sacred. Everything is reduced down to power relationships. It is an ugly, impoverished vision of human beings. The politicisation of sexuality is by far its ugliest and most destructive manifestation. Poor Tom Wayman...

WAYMAN IN LOVE

At last Wayman gets the girl into bed.
He is locked in one of those embraces
so passionate his left arm is asleep
when suddenly he is bumped in the back.
"Excuse me," a voice mutters, thick with German.
Wayman and the girl sit up astounded
as a furry gentleman in boots and a frock coat
climbs in under the covers.

"My name is Doktor Marx," the intruder announces
settling his neck comfortably on the pillow.
"I'm here to consider for you the cost of a kiss."
He pulls out a notepad. "Let's see now,
we have the price of the mattress, this room must be rented,
your time off work, groceries for two,
medical fees in case of accidents..."

"Look," Wayman says,
"couldn't we do this later."
The philosopher sighs and continues: "You too are affected, Miss.
If you are not working, you are going to resent
your dependent position. This will influence
I assure you, your most intimate moments..."

"Doctor, please," Wayman says, "All we want
is to be left alone."
But another beard, more nattily dressed,
is also getting into the bed.
There is a shifting and heaving of bodies
as everyone wriggles out room for themselves.
"I want you to meet a friend from Vienna,"
Marx says. "This is Doktor Freud."

The newcomer straightens his glasses,
peers at Wayman and the girl.
"I can see," he begins,
"that you two have problems..."


- Tom Wayman

This is a poem just waiting for feminist analysis, isn't it? You don't need to go any further than the first line. At last Wayman gets the girl into bed. Clearly, Wayman is a sexual predator. The words "at last" are a confession that he has, in fact, stalked this poor woman. And the words "gets the girl" tell us that he thinks of her as an object to be possessed. There ought to be laws against it! Oh wait! There are! Just ask Julian Assange...

There's nothing more intrusive but less sexy than sociology. In all seriousness, the intrusion of the sociological gaze into the intimate lives of human beings is one of the most abhorrent and appalling aspects of the times in which we live. Wayman speaks for the common man...

"Doctor, please," Wayman says, "All we want is to be left alone."



- Harper McAlpine Black