Red Car

How cruel you are

To be so fair,

Your golden limbs,

Your braided hair:

Theseus and Ariadne

In little, red, Peugeot car.

How bold you are

And unafraid.

What feats of strength?

What magic ball of thread?

Did you enter the Labyrinth?

Did you kill the Minotaur?

And did you soar

With Icarus wings

And that sleek stick

Upon your roof? Such things

As make the senses quick

In espadrilles and cargo shorts.

That handsome girl

Reclining, half-hid,

That blameless knee,

Those downy shins.

Mind you don’t dishonour her

As Theseus once did.

Then come, my love,

Let’s be away,

And take my cross-hatch hand.

We were like them,

Heroes once – Weren’t we?

Now this is their day.