A new collection by this Brooklyn-born, Brandeis-educated superb poet. Drawing on the conceit of night, Shapiro visits 25 commonplace sites, from a post office to a gas station, a museum to a bookstore, a barbershop (the eternity of the pole’s winding lives), to a courtroom (Greek, Roman or Indian maidens in white on the seal?) to observe man-made spaces devoid of man’s presence—sad, empathetic, confused, disordered and above all, transient and fleeting as man on this earth will prove to be. Scenes of his personal boyhood memories highlight aging grandparents, fighting parents, JFK, Cuban missiles, the Leakey footprint in the mud. Time and Today appear to be the exemplar of man’s transience, absence, and hubris. Sad, lonely, but finally self-affirming by necessity. Beautifully conceived and rendered!