Dark, grey, tinted, large and ominous,
the plate reads 01DRAGON,
its gaze catching mine in the mirror of my headlamps.
This minotaur lurks at a red light,
where the chaos of the unfinished Stirling Mitchell Freeway Interchange—
labyrinth or maze?—
frustrates those who travel,
longing for a clear path,
avoiding Innaloo rat-runs,
steering through roadworks,
ducking Cedric Street tree-lopping.
My small, battle-scarred Kia,
its cracked dashboard whispering pedigree and possibility,
locks eyes with its quarry.
The light flips green.
The beast slips away.
And we surge forward into freeway freedom.
This poem seeks to respond to Dora’s dVerse challenge to write a piece in the style of Elizabeth Bishop – emulating her characteristic style of accuracy (detail), spontaneity (immediacy), and mystery (revelation)
Wondering Pilgrim 
So well done, Dennis. I love the mythical cast you give to this brief but detailed scene, twin motors purring like beasts, as it were, minotaur/dragon, seemingly invincible against the “battle-scarred” underdog, both raring to go! But underlying the contest, the same yearning for unhampered freedom. The names of the freeway, street, and the mention of “Innaloo rat-runs” all fell strangely on my ear yet resonated, adding to the mystery of connection with that age-old dynamic of predator and quarry. I’m rooting for the Kia! 🙂
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