An ode to the charming mayhem of Cairo city centre.

This is the place where they dodge, veer and swerve
Where they straddle painted lanes with grim-faced nerve
No headlights, no tail-lights
No caution, no fear
Tonight it's Grand Theft Auto on Sharia El Tahrir

In near misses they revel
As they drive like the devil
No quarter philosophies
Amidst the car-horn cacophonies
Flailing arms, gesticulations
Curses, brake-slammed indignations
The pile-up looms nearer
Watch it on Al-jazeera
Tonight it's Grand Theft Auto on Sharia El Gezirah

No place for the camel
Don't ride here equestrian
And it sure aint no place for the naive pedestrian
They weren't brought up to learn the Green cross code
Their modified version would be " stay off the damn road! "
Bursting at the seams
It's the creme de la cream
Of ears spouting steam
Tonight it's Grand Theft Auto on Sharia Salah Salim

The black and white cabs are death-trap contraptions
With knackered exhausts pumping Vesuvian eruptions
Geriatric Ladas and written-off Skodas
Tonight it's Grand Theft Auto on Sharia El Roda

This is the place where they dodge, swerve and veer
Where the women ride pillion with headscarves for headgear
Where the lollipop ladies have no prospective career
Tonight it's Grand Theft Auto on Sharia El Tahrir