Edward Hopper's Automat Poem by Victoria Chang

The woman in the automat must work must
have a boss must walk
to work two legs red with heat two legs
pressed into each other as if one
depended on the other the woman in the automat
takes one glove off to hold
the cup to shake the hand of a boss one hand
free she looks down at the circle
on the table looks down at the round reflection
of circular lights her boss circulates
memos her boss is the circle the circumference
circles her each day like a minnow