Chicago:

A student dreamed

arches, bridges, homes.

Everywhere he looked

one more school of solid,

one more example of

Sandburg’s broad shoulders.

Montauk, Sears, Reliance, Rookery,

Wright, Mies, Sullivan–

none could stop his slope

down, under the bridge

and then home,

under a newspaper

ads for palm tree warmth.

He rose, all long white hair

and smell, grumbling

at horrified commuters

heading home.

© 2019 L. Koenig

(image of the Montauk Building, Chicago, from the creative commons)