The Monte Carlo (by Chevrolet)
      is a muscle car with a contoured hood.
      This one is painted gray.

Vegetarian chili, glopped and cuddled
      under cross-hatch of cheese
      (two varieties - eggshell and orange)
      in a styrofoam cup
      on the contoured hood.

Today was a day,
      a dog summer day.
      (Under the tires, the dirt is still hot
      though the sun and the heat went away.)

In the back of the car,
      a mother and daughter
      are speaking.
      A ricepaper hand and one cut from soap
      together are holding a rag -
      it's spotted with oil and grease and pomade.

Together the hands
      draw back to the fall -
      a month to the rear from today;
      they query the sky:
      what to do with the car
      now that son and the heat's gone away?