By Gregg Shapiro after Dave Awl
Sitting with the lost souls in the airless
circle of hell known as the State of Illinois
DMV waiting room. Which, despite being
underground and the little, useless rotating
fans mounted precariously, randomly along
the walls, manages to be 20 degrees warmer
than the street above. A half-asleep guy who
hears his number get called, jumps up, shouts
an exaggerated "Hey!" like he just won the lottery
or bingo. No one else shifts or stirs. Except for
the fans on the wall, looking shyly, slowly in
our direction, and then slowly, shyly turning away.
Gregg Shapiro is the author of seven books including the 2019 chapbooks, Sunshine State (NightBallet Press) and More Poems About Buildings and Food (Souvenir Spoon Books)