“Siren Song”
by Margaret Atwood
This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistible:

the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see the beached skulls

the song nobody knows
because anyone who has heard it
is dead, and the others can't remember.

Shall I tell you the secret
and if I do, will you get me
out of this bird suit?

I don't enjoy it here
squatting on this island
looking picturesque and mythical

with these two feathery maniacs,
I don't enjoy singing
this trio, fatal and valuable.

I will tell the secret to you,
to you, only to you.
Come closer. This song

is a cry for help: Help me!
Only you, only you can,
you are unique

at last. Alas
it is a boring song
but it works every time.
Source: Atwood, Margaret. “Siren Song.” Selected Poems 1965-1975. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1976. Poetry Foundation. Web. 1 Sept. 2011.

How does this 20th-century poem interpret the ancient myth of the siren?
A.
The sirens are singing because they want help.
B.
The sirens are still luring sailors to their deaths through their feminine wiles, representing the power modern women still have over men.
C.
This version reminds the reader women are still trapped and alone in this world, just as in ancient times.
D.
It reflects how women are still acting helpless, just like they did in ancient Greece.