Edward Hopper’s Office in a Small City (left), captures an American moment of mystery and isolation.

In the current issue of NER, poet Victoria Chang meditates on Hopper’s painting.

An excerpt:

The man could be the boss or could have a boss the man could have a
heart or could not have a heart the man is not working should be working

should be making profits not in fits but constantly the man looks out over
the yellow building over everything he must be the boss must be someone

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