City Heat
after Juvenal
In the stagnant air, a man polishes the chrome wheels of his sedan, the sweat dripping from his forehead like oil from a leaking engine.
He works with a dirty rag, the smell of gasoline and sweat clinging to his skin, the city’s sounds muffled by the haze.
The sunlight beats down on his back, he wipes his forehead with a greasy arm, the task at hand his only concern, the world outside a blurred perimeter.
I borrowed Juvenal's focus on the mundane and the satirical tone, but took it to a modern setting, exploring the idea of a man immersed in a mundane task amidst the city's oppressive heat. I aimed to capture the feeling of being trapped in a situation, much like Juvenal's critiques of Roman society.